


Lena, Interrupted

by BoxOfHammers



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: AgentCorp, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2019-08-04 15:43:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 25,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16349510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoxOfHammers/pseuds/BoxOfHammers
Summary: This series begins after season 4 episode 1 when, having broken up with James for interfering with the DA, Lena gets drunk in the company of Alex and Kara. It incorporates the big season 4 plot points but diverges as indicated in the intro to each chapter, each a "missing final scene" for each episode of the season.Chapters were added as quickly as I could after each episode aired (always before the next episode).Started as a one shot but that didn't take.It's AgentCorp.





	1. Lena, Interrupted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having broken up with James for interfering with the DA Lena gets drunk in the company of Alex and Kara.

“Is it Daverseses?” Lena Luthor slurred. “When there’s two of you. Is it Danverseses?”

“Hooo boi!” Kara sighed pushing Lena back onto her chair.

“Alex! Hey! Alex! Come here! I have a queshen!” Lena yelled across the bar to Alex who was clearly enjoying the complete attention of a woman Kara had never seen before. “She’ll wait!” Lena bellowed. She swung dangerously around to face Kara and went too far. “Hey! Where’d you go?” Kara turned her back half a revolution. “Oh! There you are! Where’d you go?”

“I…” Kara began but Alex’s arrival caused Lena to swing around again.

“Alex! Is it Danverseses? Two Danvers?”

“No,” Alex replied. “Luthor you are smashed and untidy. Go home.”

“Only if you take me,” Lena pouted, grabbing Alex’s lapel.

“Oh for …” Alex muttered impatiently. But she also gently got Lena into her coat, found her handbag, and stood her up.

“I can take her,” Kara said softly to her sister even though Lena had insisted on Alex. “She won’t know the difference. I can see you have other plans developing,” Kara added indicating Alex’s new friend with a tilt of her head.

Alex smiled at her sister adoringly. “Not for tonight though,” she said. “And probably Lena’s going to say some things about James that you really don’t need to hear.”

Kara kissed both their heads. “You want me to give you guys a lift?”

Lena perked up. “You mean,” she made a take-off motion with her hand and a swooshing sound with her mouth. Kara blinked and turned to Alex, nonplussed. “Ooh,” Lena continued with her finger to her lips. “Shhh. They think I don’t know.”

“Oh, for crying out loud!” Alex exclaimed. “Let’s go Evil Genius.” She hooked her arm around Lena’s waist and hauled her towards the door.

“That doesn’t sound so bad when you say it,” Lena said wistfully. “You are so buff. Yum.”

“Luthor, so help me, I will put you in a cab by yourself.”

“No you won’t. Hey! Where’s Kara!?”

“Right behind you,” Kara replied then immediately realised her mistake as Lena turned quickly to look behind her.

Alex barely kept her feet. “Luthor,” she warned. “You are not in any shape to be changing direction quickly. I will kick your delicious ass if I fall over on this filthy street in my new pants.”

“Hey! Who was that girl?” Lena demanded of Alex.

“Never you mind,” Alex answered.

“You date a LOT. Like A LOT.” Lena squinted at Alex closely. “I get it. You’ve got that thing.”

“Sure,” Alex concurred placatingly. “Here’s a cab.” She turned to Kara. “I’ll sleep on her couch. She’s a wreck. Can Supergirl pick me up in the morning?”

“Sure,” Kara said. “I’ll just…” and then she made the hand gesture and swooshing sound  Lena had.

“We’ll figure _that_ out tomorrow,” Alex said firmly. “Love you.”

“You too,” Kara said. “Be careful with her.”

“Count on it,” Alex said as she kissed her sister’s cheek before getting into the cab beside Lena. “Is someone with …” she checked to see Lena wasn’t paying attention and lowered her voice “…James?”

“Clark,” Kara said doing that turmoil of emotions grimace that her cousin often caused.

“OK. Get some rest. I mean it. Don’t be,” - she made the hand gesture and swooshing sound  - “all night. See you tomorrow.”

 

Kara waved and watched the cab turn the corner then walked away towards the less populated part of the block. If Lena knew she was Supergirl how much trouble would she, Kara, be in with Lena? Or with the DEO? But mostly Lena. Would she be angry with Kara or Supergirl or with both of them? Ugh. Stupid dual identities. She stepped into the deep shadow, stripped off her street clothes and shot unseen into the night sky.

 

Alex paid the cabby and extracted a liquid Lena from the back seat. Bracing her to her hip she slung Lena’s arm around her neck and moved them both toward the imperious figure of Lena’s doorman. “Christophe,” Alex greeted, reading the man’s name tag and showing him her badge when he still seemed unlikely to let her pass.

“Oh my,” Christophe said, taking in Lena’s limp form and booze-stench.

“Bad breakup,” Alex explained.

Christophe tutted. “She has such terrible taste. In men.”

“James is a good guy,” Alex said defensively.

“But, if I may Agent Danvers, not for her.”

“Well, I guess that’s something you knew before she did,” Alex conceded.

“Do you need assistance to get her home?” Christophe asked kindly.

Alex grimaced. “I think I got it. Thanks.”

 

He saluted and retreated back to his post once they were safely in the lift. Alex leaned back against the wall and Lena leaned into her further.

 

“Alex?” Lena asked.

“Yup?”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. That’s what friends are for.”

“Are we friends?”

“I’d like to think so. I let you poke me with a stick. Here we go,” she added as the lift sighed to a stop and the doors opened silently. “Where’s your key?”

Lena opened her bag and scrabbled around in it. “Oh.” She giggled. “No key.” She pointed to the keypad beside the door.

“Right,” Alex nodded. “I’m hoping now that you remember the number?”

Lena swayed a little in Alex’s arms until she was closer to the keypad. “Sure I do! I’m a genius!” She poked at the numbers and Alex was relieved to hear a ‘snick’ as the door unlatched.

“Good job. Almost there,” Alex encouraged moving Lena into the apartment. “Bedroom?” she asked.

Lena pointed a wavering hand down a hallway. “Don’t you remember?” she murmured.

“I’ve never been here before,” Alex reminded her.

Lena frowned then turned bright red. Oh. That had been a dream. Right. She disengaged herself from Alex and held the wall. “Thank you, Alex. You’ve been very kind.”

“No way I’m leaving you before you’re tucked safely in bed,” Alex said firmly.

“God, is the whole family relentlessly kind?” Lena moaned.

Alex smiled. “Yes. Come on let’s get you in the shower and then into bed.” She guided Lena past the bed and into the bathroom. “I’ll get you some PJs. Can you manage in here?”

Lena nodded. She shed her clothes lethargically and stepped into the shower Alex had started for her. Instantly she felt a little better. She washed herself then stood under the rushing water wishing it worked on her feelings as well as her skin.

 

“Hey,” Alex called gently. “You awake in there?”

“Not sure,” Lena replied.

“Come on. I’ve got a massive towel here for you and something to wear to bed. Let’s go Luthor!”

Lena turned off the water and opened the shower door. She wasn’t worried about people seeing her body but she did feel somehow awkward that it was Alex out there. But Alex was holding the towel high and had averted her eyes. Lena smiled. Of course she had.

 

Clean, dry, warm, and tucked in she thanked Alex again.

Alex waved it off. “It’s late and I’m beat so, if you don’t mind, I’ll sack out on your couch?”

“I’m fine, Alex.”

“I know. But I’m not.”

Lena looked doubtful. “OK. Well help yourself to the shower and something to sleep in.”

“Roger that. See you in the morning. There’s water,” she said indicating the bedside table.

“You Danverseses really are something,” Lena smiled already half asleep.

 

Alex woke to a cheery tune being whistled in the kitchen and the smell of coffee and bacon. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled. She rose and went quickly to the bathroom before padding toward the kitchen on bare feet.

 

Lena turned as she entered the kitchen and her gaze took Alex in. She laughed. “I feel like I’m in college.” Alex was sleep tussled and wearing her school sweat shirt and track pants.

Alex smiled. “You aren’t hung over,” she said almost accusingly.

“Nope. And I’m feeling sort of hopeful.”

“Well. Sometimes all you need is a night out.”

“You of all people know that was a very kind lie. But thank you for trying. We weren’t that serious. He’s right. I shouldn’t have interfered when he expressly asked me not to.” She shrugged one shoulder and handed Alex a coffee.

“That’s hard, not helping when you know you can. And you did keep him out of jail.”

“It’s funny that you and I don’t know each other better.”

“How so?” Alex said going with the change of topic.

“We have so much in common. Our work. Kara. Supergirl. We both drink too much.”

Alex chuckled. “Yes. I’m trying to work on that. You’re right though. I guess it’s just timing. You’re my sister’s BFF and I adore her.” Alex frowned. “I’m sorry, Lena. I should have made more of an effort. And I should have supported Kara more quickly when she believed in you.”

“Hey!” Lena lay her hand over Alex’s that had clenched into a fist on the bench top. “Where on earth did that come from?”

“Last night you said something about Kara…” Alex started, hoping Lena would help her out.

“That I know she’s Supergirl?”

“Wow. Uh. Yeah. I didn’t expect you to just say it. It always sounds so weird to hear.”

“So what happens now? And what does that have to do with that mini-attack of self-loathing a moment ago?”

“We have to do paperwork at the DEO. Like a non-disclosure but more ominous threats.”

“And the other?”

“That girl lost everything, you know? And yet she loves so hard and so joyfully. She’s had my back even before I came to my senses at 15 and realised how extraordinarily lucky I was to have her. She exposed herself to the world to save my life. So every time I let her down it weighs so heavily.”

“You were on that plane? That timing makes so much sense now. Do you know what I think? I think you’re her hero. And that shouldn’t be a weight, Alex.”

“You sound like J’onn.”

“Well,” Lena said with a characteristic raise of eyebrow, “he seems like a very wise man.”

“Thanks for listening,” Alex said smiling. “Do I smell bacon?”

“Yes you do. Scrambled eggs OK?”

“I could get used to this!” Alex enthused then realised what she’d said. “I mean. Uh…”

Lena laughed. “I’ll bear that in mind.” She tilted her head a little as she looked at Alex intently. “Mmmm. I will remember you said that later.”

“Are you flirting with me Luthor?”

“Yes. It’s fun. Do you mind?”

Alex gave her a considered look. “No. I don’t believe I do.”

“You did call my ass delicious after all,” Lena teased.

Alex blushed. “You don’t get hung over and you remember what people say when you’re plastered. Freak. You said I was buff. Remember that?”

“I do,” Lena said completely unflustered, setting a plate of eggs and bacon before her guest.

Alex took a bite of her eggs. “Oh. My. God. These are really good! You are somethin’,” she mused as she took another bite.

“Well. It’s nice to be appreciated. Is Kara picking you up this morning?”

Alex shook her head. “Supergirl.”

Lena let out a snort but  Alex was serious. “How does that work, exactly?”

“I think Kara should probably, uh …?”

“For you I mean. Is Supergirl your sister?”

Alex looked at her for a moment, surprised. “That is the best question. Honestly? Yes and no. Kara is _definitely_ my sister. Like … it was her hogging the bathroom when we were teens? When they find out people are always amazed Kara is Supergirl. But Supergirl is Kara, too. I guess it would be sort of the same if we worked together anywhere? It’s a different part of our relationship? But if anything happens to either of them? That feeling?” Alex put her hand over her heart. “That feeling is exactly the same.”

“Why do you think people are so surprised Kara is Supergirl? It seems like such a logical extension of who she is to me.”

“Right? Wow. You _do_ know her well! People think love and joy are soft things. They don’t see the strength in them.”

Lena nodded. “Feminine assigned traits.”

“Right. Love and joy? That’s like the foundation of Supergirl’s powers, though. I think, anyway. If that makes sense?”

Lena smiled. “That must have been something watching her grow into the woman she is now!”

Alex rolled her eyes. “There are times when she is a pain in my ass, you know.”

“I am aware that she has her moments.”

“How do you negotiate being Kara’s BFF and fighting with Supergirl?”

“How do you?”

“Oh, now you’re asking for Danvers’ shortcuts!”

“Are there any?”

“Hah! Hundreds. Treat Supergirl like Kara. The hugs, the food. It’s good to remind her that Kara is in there. I know that sounds kind of nuts.”

“Not at all. I used to do that with … and your ride is here,” Lena said pointing toward the patio where Supergirl was waving in a very Kara-like way. Lena went to unlock the door and dragged her into a hug. “Have you eaten? We’re having eggs.”

“And bacon!” Alex added tantalizingly. She squinted her eyes at her sister. “Did you sleep at all dumbass?”

“I don’t need …”

“Yada yada yada,” Alex interrupted. “Sit and eat something while I change. Did you…?” Kara threw her a bundle of black clothes. “Thanks,” she said, disappearing into the bathroom.

 

“Are you not mad at me about …?” Supergirl asked Lena gesturing to her suit.

“I am still angry with you but not about this. And Kara’s my best friend, so I’ll get over it.”

“OK. You know I never mean to hurt you, right?”

“I know. I’m a Luthor - kind of an expert at recognising ulterior motives.”

“Right. How are you otherwise?”

“I don’t suppose you have Kara clothes hidden in that suit somewhere?”

“No. Sorry. I have extras at the DEO so …,” she shrugged and it was 100% Kara.

Lena smiled. “I’m OK. I had a good talk with your sister, actually.”

“She is a good listener,” Supergirl nodded fondly.

“It was more what she said,” Lena countered.

“Wait! Did you two talk about me?”

“Of course we did, stupid head,” Alex snorted returning from the bathroom in full DEO rig.

“I am _not_ a stupid head,” Supergirl retorted.

“This is a little surreal,” Lena admitted, watching Alex’s little sister appear from beneath the superhero persona.

“Sorry,” the sisters both responded, immediately attentive.

Lena smiled. “Go to work, Danverseses.” She laughed as they both saluted and headed for the balcony.

“She makes fantastic eggs,” Alex said as they departed. “If you hadn’t been a stupid head you might have had some.”

“Not a stupid head.”

“I’m just calling it as I see it.”

 “I could drop you from a great height!”

“But you wouldn’t. Because you looove me!”

 

The door closed on their banter, but Lena was momentarily concerned for Alex’s well-being when she saw Supergirl punch her in the arm. Until Alex punched back. Then in the blink of an eye they were gone.

 

“Well, this is going to be interesting,” Lena said out loud to the empty apartment.

THE END (well it was supposed to be the end and then it wasn't)


	2. Alex, Trapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After S4Ep2. Alex gets stuck in a lift.

Alex was absolutely livid.

“Come on! I am stuck in a freaking lift!”

“Little busy, Alex,” Supergirl responded. “Push the emergency button.”

“I’m the Director of the DEO. I am not going to be saved by Jed from maintenance.”

“You’re a rescue snob.”

“I am not! Wait. You just made that up! That’s not a thing!”

“I’ve got injured people here Alex. Call Lena. It’s her damn building.”

“You said damn!”

“Honestly. People who need actual rescuing Alex. Call Lena.” Kara turned her communications off.

“Don’t you hang up on m…. God dammit.” Alex took out her phone and called Lena.

“Alex, did you forget something?” Lena answered.

“No. I’m stuck in one of your damn lifts and my s  ….,” she took a breath. “Supergirl is busy elsewhere. Could you discretely get someone to get me the hell out of here. Please. Are you laughing?”

“No,” said Lena who clearly was laughing so hard Alex could hardly hear her.

“Oh, yuk it up Luthor. My next option is to get Brainy to come rescue me. How much do you like this building?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t abseiled down to the next floor. Or climbed up.”

“Yeah well I can’t reach the trapdoor on the ceiling,” Alex said petulantly. “Why isn’t there a rail in here?” she added.

“Because someone used it to get through the trap door. This is killing you isn’t it?”

“Lena. Please.”

“Well since you asked so nicely. I’ll call maintenance and then find the DEO earpiece you gave me.”

“Thank you. Wait, what do you mean ‘find’ it?” Alex demanded.

“She takes it off and forgets where she puts it,” Kara suddenly chimed in. “Same with her earrings.”

“Oh, now you got time to talk!” Alex said icily.

“Jess!” Lena called loudly for her assistant. “You two chat amongst yourselves for a moment.”

“I’ve been listening in. I would never abandon you Alex,” Kara said with feeling.

“I know.”

“What’s going on?” Kara asked gently.

“OK found it!” Lena broke in. There was a lingering silence. “Am I interrupting?”

“No, it’s fine,” Alex said. “Tell us what’s happening.”

“OK. We apparently outside-contract the lift maintenance which I guess I knew? Anyway, makes sense. Jess put in an emergency call that they are contracted to respond to within 30 minutes.”

“OK,” Alex said with a sigh of relief. “30 minutes.”

“Alex?” Kara sounded concerned.

“What’s wrong?” Lena asked immediately picking up on Kara’s tone.

Alex let out a frustrated huff. “It’s a box,” she said meaningfully. “That I’m trapped in.”

“Oh, Alex,” Kara said as though her heart were breaking.

“Someone tell me what’s going on and how I can help,” Lena said firmly.

“It helps to hear your voices,” Alex assured her.

“J’onn could help,” Kara said. 

“This isn’t a great time for a Martian to fly into a Luthor building,” Lena reminded her.

“Don’t disturb him. Just keep talking to me and I’ll be fine,” Alex assured them.

“Lena can you handle this?” Kara asked.

“Of course,” Lena said, moving to the door of her office to ask Jess to move all her appointments back an hour. Jess swung her monitor around to show Lena was already blocked out busy. Lena’s face lit up in a grateful smile.

“Thanks,” Kara said gratefully. “I’m going to finish up here as quick as I can. Then I’ll be right there. I’m listening Alex. I’m right here.”

“OK,” Alex said.

“So,” Lena said. “Alone at last.”

Alex laughed. “Except for third wheel.”

“Hey!” Kara broke in. “I was just right now super sweet and supportive!”

“Yes, you were,” her sister agreed contritely.

“Do you want to tell me about being shut in a box?” Lena asked Alex. “Previously, I mean.”

“Guy from high school who figured out some things about Supergirl and tried to blackmail her into getting his dad out of prison. He put me in a glass box and started filling it with water. Maggie and Supergirl found me just after I ran out of air.”

“Good god,” was Lena’s horrified response.

“Tell her about filling your pants up with air!” Kara encouraged.

“Navy trick,” Alex said. “Knot off the legs, swing the pants over your head to fill them with air. Hold the waist closed and keep the pants wet. Flotation device. Then when there was no more air to breathe …”

“You breathed the air in the pants,” Lena finished. “Alex,” she added in a tone Alex couldn’t quite decipher.

“You think that was cool! I also cut my tracking chip out and converted it to a transmitter using the bastard’s own camera.”

“Tracking chip. Cut it out of where?” Lena asked not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

“Oh. They put them in our shoulder.”

“You had a knife with you?” Lena asked.

“Credit card,” Alex corrected.

“You have got to be shitting me!?”

“Well it was actually my debit card but …”

“I don’t think that’s what’s blowing her mind, badass,” Kara said helpfully.

“Oh. Right,” Alex nodded. “This is probably getting kind of graphic. Anyway, Kara broke the glass and there you have it. My previous experience with being shut in a box.”

“You cut yourself open with a credit card,” Lena repeated.

“Debit,” Alex said before she could stop herself. “Sorry. So. Got anything on tonight either of you?” Alex said in an effort to change the subject.

After a short silence Kara chimed in, “It’s movie night.”

“Right,” Alex exclaimed. “North By Northwest. You should come Luthor.”

“What?” Lena said obviously distracted.

“Movie night. North By Northwest. Cary Grant,” Alex said. “Now you listen here!” she said in a pretty good Cary Grant impression, “I've got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders depending upon me, and I don't intend to disappoint them all by getting myself 'slightly' killed."

“What?” Lena repeated.

“I think she’s still stuck on the cutting yourself open double o-blivious,” Kara intervened.

“Lena?” Alex enquired. “It’s OK. Stuff like that just happens sometimes in our line of work.”

“Geez Alex!” her sister admonished.

“What have I done now?” Alex wanted to know.

“Stop,” Lena begged.

“Sorry,” the sisters responded as one.

“I don’t even know why I’m stuck on this,” Lena said. “I know what you do, Alex.”

“We’ll talk about it,” Alex said softly. “Right now I think my knights in shining armour have arrived. Say yes to movie night?”

Lena sighed. “Yes to movie night.”

She heard ‘yays’ came from both Danvers.

 

“I’m telling you one of them was a Jed,” Alex swore, crossing her heart.

“Do you think Lena will come?” Kara asked.

“Sure!” Alex said. “Why wouldn’t she?”

“She seemed pretty upset. Wait,” Kara frowned. She put her hand over Alex’s mouth to shut her up. She signalled to the door. “Lena’s standing out in the hall,” Kara whispered.

“Well go let her in!” Alex hissed.

“She hasn’t knocked.” Kara grabbed Alex’s jacket and shoved it at her. “Pretend you’re going for more – uh – think of something.”

“You are so weird!” Alex said fondly. Nonetheless she pulled open the door. “I’ll be back in a jiffy!” she called.  Then she stepped into the hall, pulling on her jacket. “Hey Lena! You’re here. Go right in or I’m going to the store if you want to ...?”

“No that’s fine. I’ll stay with Kara.” Lena smiled a little tightly.

Alex was committed to walking away even though she really didn’t want to. There was something about Lena that was off somehow. She shut the apartment door and, suspecting her sister was looking, raised her hands and shrugged.

 

“You saw me out there?” she asked Kara as she took the glass of wine handed her.

“Heard you actually. Your heart is really pounding. What’s going on?”

Lena made a sound that was a cross between a giggle and a moan.

“It’s something to do with Alex, right?” Lena nodded. “She’s a lot, huh?” Kara grinned. Lena nodded again. “You’re worried about her. Oh! You have a crush on my sister!” Kara crowed as realisation struck. Lena looked at her pleadingly over the rim of her wine glass. “I can keep a secret.” Lena raised an eyebrow. “I can!” Kara insisted. “You should tell her.” Lena shook her head. “Why not?”

“So many reasons,” Lena said.

“Phew. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten how to speak.”

“I’ve been thinking about her a lot. Particularly since that night she took me home when we were out drinking.”

“What do you mean ‘particularly since’ then?” Kara asked. Lena looked trapped. “Words is my business, pal-o-mine,” Kara reminded her. “You liked her while you were seeing James?” Lena shrugged. “ _Before_ you were with James?”

Lena opened her mouth but just then the door opened and Alex burst into the apartment. “What’d I miss?” she grinned.

Both of them stared at her like deer in the headlights.


	3. Kara, Removed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In S4 Ep3 Supergirl is encased in the suit that came out of the hard drive that came out of Lena's exquisite handbag. Lena and Alex sit and watch over her into the night.

It was a situation almost too much for Alex to look at directly let alone handle and Alex was smarter and more capable and braver than most people. Supergirl had been dealt a deadly blow. Her sister. Her sister had been laid low and there was nothing she could do. Nothing the DEO could do.  

Not that long ago she’d told Lena about the dread in her heart when anything happened to Kara or Supergirl:

 But if anything happens to either of them? That feeling? That feeling is exactly the same.

At the memory, a faint hope sprang up within Alex. “Lena,” she whispered.

She came immediately of course, the bright slash of lipstick and colour of her dress cutting through the drab black of DEO uniforms, generating an energy wave as she made straight for a grateful Alex.

Grateful Lena would always set aside her ongoing quibbles with Supergirl to help.

“I care,” Lena told Alex with great feeling. “I really do.”

Once at Kara’s bedside, Lena removed a radiation control proto-environment from her exquisite purse like she was pulling out her lipstick. It would keep Kara safe until they figured out a permanent atmospheric-scale fix. Lena was so confident she could solve the problem she cut J’onn one of her killer stares when he suggested the containment would be ‘indefinite’.

 

“Do it,” Alex said finally, and Lena completely encased the girl of steel in the protective suit.

 

The men were long gone when Alex spoke next. She and Lena had been sitting on either side of Kara’s bed for hours, each with a hand resting on her. They both knew it made no sense scientifically, but neither could leave her. Quietly they each bent their gigantic minds to saving her.

 

“You got anything?” Alex asked tiredly.

“Not yet,” Lena responded with so much vigour that Alex sat more upright in her chair.

“Why don’t you rest for a while?” Alex suggested softly, indicating the second bed in the room.

Lena shrugged. “I didn’t pack my pyjamas.”

“I’ll get you something more comfortable. It’ll probably be black I’m afraid,” Alex smiled, standing to go.

“Alex?” Lena called making Alex halt at the door. “I’ll get her back. I promise.”

“We have to,” Alex said, wiping the tear rolling down her cheek. “I can’t ... uh ...” she looked around as if in hope of finding the end to her sentence.

Lena rose from her chair with a barely audible “Oh, Alex” and enveloped her in a hug. She felt Alex stiffen and then collapse into her, a soft sob escaping.

Lena held her. In the doorway, holding Alex with the alter ego of her best friend and Alex’s beloved sister lying still as death nearby, the solution evading her questing mind, Lena stood strong. Shattered as she was by Kara’s circumstance, she knew Alex’s heart must be in shards. She tried hard to think of Alex as her friend’s sister and not a woman she harboured an intense attraction for. Not how it felt to hold her, what Alex smelt like, how many times she’d dreamt of being this close. She felt Alex's spine stiffen, the sobs quieting and loosened her hold.

“Thank you, Lena,” Alex whispered, stepping back to create a space between their bodies. “I’m sorry. I’ll go get you those clothes. I won’t be long.” Then, like she did it all the time, she kissed Lena’s cheek and left the room.

Lena stood with her hand at her cheek for slow, warm moments before blinking herself back to awareness and reseating herself at Kara’s side. “I promise I’ll get you back to us Kara. Be patient and keep fighting.” She stood to place a kiss on the helmet where Kara’s temple would be. While there she whispered to her friend “She kissed me on the cheek, Kara, and I’m not even sure she knows she did it. But I find I’m quite giddied by it. That’s pretty inappropriate isn’t it? With you lying here.”

She sat back down trying to sort out her feelings, to prioritise them in some way so that her mind was clear to focus on the problem at hand. She was still deep inside this process when Alex returned. It wasn’t until Alex touched her shoulder that she realised she was there. Lena startled then covered Alex’s hand with hers.

Alex held out a black bundle. “These should fit,” she said. “I’ll just ...” she jerked her thumb towards the door.

“No. It’s all right, Alex. Stay. I’m pretty sure you’ve seen it all before.”

Alex smiled. “I don’t believe I’ve seen anyone like you, ever.” She squeezed Lena’s hand, again bent to brush a kiss on a blushing cheek and once more took up her post on the other side of her sister’s bed. 

Lena was not a shy woman. She rose and changed into the comfortable DEO badged gear Alex had brought her. She spread a blanket out on the spare bed and turned to wish Alex goodnight. And that’s when she saw it. She wasn’t even expecting Alex to be looking at her. But she was. Alex was staring at her in a sharp, hot way that Lena recognised easily.

Alex’s eyes tracked Lena as she moved around the end of the bed and came to a stop close enough for Alex to feel the heat of her body. Lena’s hand came to rest against the back of Alex’s neck. They read each other’s eyes for a moment.

“I can’t lose her now.”

“You won’t.”

Alex huffed out a laugh on the back of a choking sob. “How are you always so sure?”

“I’m not always,” Lena admitted wistfully. “But I’m very smart and I’m arrogant. There isn’t a way in the universe that I’m going to let the first person to love the good in me die. Come and rest with me,” she ordered, tugging lightly at Alex’s neck.

Alex’s eyes went wide. “Lena,” she began but then stopped there realising she didn’t know what to say.

“Alex,” Lena responded a little mockingly. “Come. Sleep. Now is not the time.”

“The time?” Alex repeated blankly.

Lena let out a sigh. “Brilliant moron,” she said affectionately tugging again at Alex’s neck. “Let’s go.”

Alex stood and went with her, frowning in a puzzled way like her body was doing things without her permission. She toed off her boots and slid in beside Lena, still with that perplexed look.

“It’s OK,” Lena said, fitting herself against Alex’s side and draping an arm around her waist. “We’ll work it out.”

They were both asleep in moments, too deeply asleep to hear J’onn enter quietly and take up Alex’s position. He looked over at the sleeping women with deep affection before turning to his other ‘daughter’.

“Oh, you’ve got to come back to watch this happen,” he told Kara’s still form.


	4. Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of 4x04 Kara and Alex eat pie. This is how that scene progressed in my universe.

“That rhubarb is outstanding,” Alex mumbled around a mouthful of pie.

“Well, I am the Queen of Pies,” Kara shrugged with a grin. “Ready for the next one?”

“Ugh! I think I’ll sit out the next couple,” Alex moaned, rubbing her stomach.

“Weak!” Kara teased.

“Hey! I don’t have super-metabolism! And I haven’t been stuck in a protective suit for days.”

Kara snorted. “Count yourself lucky. Ooh! That reminds me I need to call Lena to thank her - again,” Kara exclaimed with her usual enthusiasm. She looked around for her phone. “Maybe she’ll come help me with the pies.”

“Brainy said she went to see James,” Alex said.

“Are they like science bros now? Brainy and Lena I mean. That’d be cool! He needs more friends. Wait. She went to see James?”

Alex shrugged a shoulder.

“I wonder if it was work?” Kara mused. “I’ll text her to come over if she wants.”

“She cares about you very much,” Alex told her as she poured herself some water.

Kara smiled as she looked up from her phone. “I know,” she said fondly. “So, you two slept together?”

Alex gave her a dirty look and swallowed the water she narrowly avoided spitting out. “Brat,” she said. “How did you find out anayway? You were out like a light.”

“J’onn,” Kara replied. “I think he ships it.”

“Nothing to ship,” Alex corrected. “We were exhausted and too worried to leave you. There was only one bed.”

“Aw you guys!” Kara cried, enveloping her sister in a hug.

“You need to stop almost dying!” Alex said into Kara’s shoulder.

“Those nazi freaks need to stop trying to kill me. Also? I think we need to talk to Lena about what else might be out in the Luthorverse that needs to be under better security.”

“Brainy said Lena was - ‘feeling intense rage’ I think was the phrase- that something of hers had been turned against you. Again,” Alex frowned.

“What’s that frown?” Kara asked. “Alex?” she demanded when her sister stayed quiet.

“It’s probably nothing we can do anything about tonight,” Alex responded finally. “Do you think someone’s trying to set us against Lena? Or, do you think it’s just a bonus twist of the knife for them that she and Supergirl are friends?  How do they get this stuff anyway?” Alex finished with frustration.

“We can think about work tomorrow,” Kara said gently. “Come watch me eat pie and tell me what happened with you and Lena.”

“Kara,” Alex warned.

“Alex,” Kara said in the same tone.

“It was nothing, really,” Alex began slowly.

“Those beds are pretty thin,” Kara opined.

“Mmm,” Alex hummed.

“So?”

“What do you want me to say, exactly?” Alex asked.

“How did you sleep? Head to toe? Back to back?”

“No. She sort of tucked herself under my chin,” Alex responded and if she seemed a little dreamy Kara didn’t mention it.

“I’m glad you helped each other out,” Kara said.

“She’s something isn’t she?”

“Definitely. Hey, thanks for being there when I woke up. I was freaking out.”

“Always,” Alex said that one word heavy with meaning. “I’ll always be there.”

“I know,” Kara said again. “Hey Alex?”

“Mmm?”

“Do you like Lena?”

“What’s not to like? She’s brilliant. She’s funny. She’s ... well,” Alex faltered.

“So, you like her?”

“What did I just say?”

“When you woke up were you still holding each other?”

“God you’re like a dog with a bone!”

“I wouldn’t have to be if you’d just tell me!”

“Yes, dammit.”

“That must have looked adorable. I’m sorry I missed it. Did you kiss her?”

“No.” Alex frowned. “Well, for the sake of accuracy, yes. But only on the cheek. A couple of times. This isn’t a thing. I think I’m ready for more pie now.”

Kara unsuccessfully tried to supress a squee. “Flavour?”

“Cherry,” Alex said decisively then was surprised at the immediate, vivid image of Lena’s lipstick.

“So, Lena pulled that suit out of her purse like it was a lipstick, J’onn said?” Kara asked amused.

Alex flinched. “Uh. Yeah,” she chuckled, recovering. “It was pretty badass.” She looked at the pie laden spoon in her hand and frowned. “Did I ask for cherry?”

“What is going on with you?” Kara asked, concerned. “Are you upset because Lena is with James?”

“Why would I ....?” Alex frowned again, thinking. “Huh.”

“And there it is,” Kara said.

“I like her.”

“So you said.”

“No, I mean I like her,” Alex emphasised.

“Yes,” Kara nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Just really had it confirmed a minute ago when you said – and I quote – ‘she’s ... well’.”

“Oh, this is not good.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t have time to be serious about someone.”

“So, you’re serious about her?”

“Lena Luthor is not the sort of woman you treat frivolously.”

“I guess not. But not having time doesn’t seem like much of an excuse to pass her up either.”

“I’ve got a new job.”

“Yes, I know. You’re my superior now,” Kara said in a pretty good Alex impersonation.

“Can we just never mention that again please? But yes, I’m Director. And they’ve sent someone who looks like she starches her undies to micro-manage me. And I’m fried from this last you-almost-dying thing and I’m working really hard on my relationship with Brainy and we’ve got these nazi bastards running around... I’m not sure how many more feelings I can juggle.”

“Feelings aren’t like pies, Alex.”

“Who juggles pies?”

“No, dumb-head. You don’t run out of feelings by sharing them. As opposed to pies.”

“You run out of pies because you’re a pie hog not because you share them with me,” Alex pointed out.

“A minute ago I was Queen of the Pies.”

“Yes, how the mighty fall. You’re saying I shouldn’t walk away from my feelings for Lena?”

“Exactly.”

“What if she’s getting back with James?”

“Why would you think that?”

“She’s with him and she hasn’t answered your text.”

“That doesn’t mean they’re ...” Kara made a strange abstract shape with her hands that made Alex recoil. “It’s probably work. Or James has done something else stupid. Or they could be in trouble.”

“Or maybe we both overthink things.”

“Right. But I could reach out just to make sure they’re OK. Is that invasive?”

“Yes.”

Kara’s phone buzzed with an incoming text. “Lena,” Kara said, relieved.

“What’s she say?”

“Sorry,” Kara read. “Stuck at work. I’ll tell you later. Be there in an hour. Is there enough pie or should I bring some?”

“Tell her we’ve got plenty to go around,” Alex smiled.

Kara grinned back at her. “I especially love you when you listen to me.”

“Yeah, yeah. Shut up and text the hot billionaire.” 


	5. The Thinker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After S4 Ep5  
> Lena has a decision to make.

“You need to stop leading my sister on,” Supergirl told Lena so firmly the L-Corp supremo stepped back nervously, bumping into her desk.

“I’m not!” she protested.

“Yeah, you are,” Supergirl retorted. “Not to mention you’re stepping out on James.”

“Let’s say I am,” Lena challenged, stepping forward again. “What business is it of yours?”

“What...!?!” Supergirl began indignantly then stopped. “Wait. What does that mean ‘Let’s say I am’? Are you or aren’t you seeing them both?”

“I’m actually not seeing either of them. James is interested in getting back together. Alex is interested.”

“What do you want?”

“Undecided.”

“Well, decide!”

“I’m trying to. But I can’t without seeing them both.”

“That makes sense. I hate it.”

“I can’t say I’m thrilled about it myself.”

“Do not make me feel sorry for you while I’m mad at you!”

“Where is Alex?”

“Probably standing in front of a mirror practising saluting.”

“For what?”

“This hardass the army sent makes her salute her.”

“The DEO isn’t military technically is it?”

“That’s the trouble with a non-existent organisation. The people who know about it can decide anything they want just about.”

“Is she miserable?”

“She’ll adapt to what she can, and fight n fake the rest of it until this blows over.”

“I hate to break it to you but, historically, bigotry-driven military oversight has seldom just ‘blown over’.”

“I guess,” Supergirl sighed. “Look, can you at least let them both know what’s going on?"

Lena blinked at the switchback turn in the conversation. “Oh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Neither is losing both of them. They aren’t going to want to share you.”

“Hence my pending decision. I don’t suppose you’d like to weigh in?”

“No. James is a great guy, but Alex is the best person I’ve ever met.”

“You’re spending a lot of time with Nia.”

“She’s great!” Supergirl said but it was pure Kara.

“She’s cute.”

“Super cute! And really talented.”

“Very passionate in her beliefs.”

“She sure is. Wait. Lena, are you jealous?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“What’s going on?” Alex asked calmly from where she stood with one hand on the door to Lena’s office.

“Nothing,” they responded together.

“OK,” Alex shrugged. “You got a minute?” she asked Supergirl jerking her head to indicate her sister should come.

“Sure,” Supergirl nodded. “We’ll talk more,” she said to Lena. “You need to sort out your feelings.”

“I’m thinking,” Lena responded wearily.

 

“What’s going on?” Alex repeated quietly when Supergirl joined her.

“Just girl stuff,” Supergirl shrugged.

Alex peered at her sister closely. “Are you two fighting about me?”

“A little,” Supergirl admitted. “But other stuff too.”

“Are you standing up for my honour?” Alex asked, amused.

“I’m looking out for you.”

“Because she’s back with James?”

“You know?”

“Of course. When she’s seeing him she’s different with me. Look, K...,” Alex stopped and looked around to make sure no one caught her near slip. “Look. I told you. We aren’t anything.”  
“But you like her?”

“Well, yeah. But so do you.”

“Not that way though.”

“Not even the straightest woman in the world could not take a second look at Luthor,” Alex stated flatly. “So don’t start. Why don’t you head home and I’ll be over soon?”

“OK. I’m sorry I was in your business.”

“It’s OK. I’ll be there in a bit.” Alex shooed her sister back into Lena’s office and onto the balcony, kissing her goodbye before watching her disappear into the distance.

“Where’s she off to in such a hurry?” Lena asked from the doorway.

“I told her to go home but I’ve got a feeling she’s taking a detour,” Alex said softly without turning. “I’m sorry if she made you uncomfortable.”

Lena’s hand was warm on her back. “It was warranted. I probably shouldn’t pursue anything with you when James is still in the picture.”

“Is he?”  
“Maybe.”

Alex nodded. “OK. Good to know. I’ll see you around, Luthor.”

“You don’t have to go.”

“Yeah I do. I need to catch up with Kara and I have a thing later.”

“Work?”

Alex grinned. “Nope. Well, she doesn’t seem like she’ll be work! See you!”

 

Lena raised a hand in farewell then stood frowning at the space Alex had just vacated. It hadn’t occurred to her that Alex was still dating. “Why wouldn’t she be?” she asked herself out loud. She heard her phone go off but ignored it, trying to sort out why she felt she had a right to not want Alex to date. Wait. Was this a break through? Would she care if James was seeing other people? Try as she might she couldn’t imagine it. So where did that leave her? On the one hand, she knew James wanted to try again with her. He was a serious man and she knew he meant it. But there was also this Guardian business she really didn’t want to get embroiled in and that he assumed she did without asking her was troubling. On the other hand were a lot of maybes that might lead to something real with Alex. Lena was not completely sure Alex wasn’t way out of her league. It felt similar, in a way, to thinking she didn’t deserve Kara’s friendship.

Oddly, she admitted to herself, when she was with Alex she felt like they were further down the path towards being something than they actually were. Really, they were two people who loved Kara and liked each other. Was she attracted to Alex? Yes, of course. But all that she put down to the Danvers’ charm and that unaccountable goodness and hope despite - or maybe because of - the fight they fought. Kara shone bright with it like the sun while Alex was banked coals. Lena shook her head. If she was going to pursue anything with Alex she needed to untangle how she felt about Alex from her friendship with Kara. But the sisters were so entwined that, once you knew them both, that was difficult.

 

“Ms Luthor,” Jess called from the door in a way that made Lena think she’d been trying to get her attention for a while.

Lena turned and raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Jess continued, “but Mr Olsen asked me to check on you. He’s being calling.”

Lena frowned, displeased.

“I’ll let him know you’re in the middle of something and you’ll call him back when you’re free,” Jess said as she turned to go.

“I don’t pay you enough,” Lena said smiling gratefully.

Jess laughed. “There is a remedy to that. I’ll let him know.”

 

Try as she might, Lena couldn’t get herself back into the space she’d been in before Jess called her. She laughed wryly at herself. ‘You could do it if you wanted to’ the self-mocking voice in her head said. It was not often Lena felt at a loss. Navigating her emotions was one arena that did escape her. Lately she’d had Kara to talk to. But her friend had made it clear this wasn’t something she could help with – except to advocate heavily for the sister she adored. Relieved, Lena realised she’d made a decision and moved inside to find her phone.

 

It was late. Alex smiled as she buzzed her visitor up and left her door ajar.

 

Lena knocked once as she entered the apartment without breaking stride. “Alex?” she called.

 

Alex poked her head around from the kitchen making a shushing noise. She pointed over at the baby capsule sitting on her coffee table. Lena crept over and peered in. A tiny baby lay sleeping in that soft, complete way babies do.

Lena felt all sorts of things. Chief among them was an overriding joy that this was Alex’s date. She moved over to the kitchen where Alex was busy finishing cleaning up. She watched the DEO Director work with her customary efficiency and athletic grace.

 

Finished her work, Alex turned and smiled at her guest. “What’s that face mean?” she asked.

Lena blushed but forged ahead. “That’s your date?”

Alex laughed. “Is that what you thought?”

Lena nodded. “It bothered me.”

“Oh?” Alex waited patiently, leaning relaxed against the kitchen bench.

Lena envied her. She felt taut as a wire. “Yes.” She frowned. “Who ..?” she asked gesturing toward the child.

“My neighbours two doors down. New parents, obviously. They wanted to go out and they think I’m FBI and they know I love kids so they thought they could trust me to watch over her for an hour or two.”

Lena nodded. “I was thinking about how it bothered me you were on a date. Now I’m thinking about how relieved I just felt that you weren’t. I’ve been thinking about you and James and what I’m doing...”

“I think,” Alex smiled gesturing between them, “that maybe this isn’t a thinking situation.”

“What do you mean?” Lena asked, her arms crossing in a subconscious defensive move.

Alex moved then, slowly approaching. She took Lena’s wrists and opened her arms then tangled their fingers together. “What do you feel?” Alex asked quietly.

Lena gave a helpless groan and told her. “When I’m with you I feel ... I feel like we’re something.” She looked into Alex’s eyes and they were warm and watching her. “It’s crazy. But it doesn’t feel crazy?”

“Well,” Alex said. “That seems like a great place to start.”


	6. Kara, Cussing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After season 4 episode 6.  
> Thanksgiving week is always exhausting, right?

“What a fucking week!” Kara slurred bitterly spinning her stool around and hooking her elbows on the bar behind her.  
Alex and Lena both stared at her, shocked speechless.  
“Well, am I wrong?” the younger Danvers demanded of them.  
“No,” Lena said reverently, “You are not.”  
“Damn straight,” Kara bellowed.  
“She’s drunk,” Alex informed Lena very seriously though she found it hard to focus on her.  
“I shoulda punched his nazi face,” Kara said, not for the first time.  
“James should not have sent you there,” Lena responded hotly.  
“He said you weren’t always right!” Kara informed Lena. “I set him straight on that!”  
Lena giggled then switched instantly to gravely serious. “He broke up with me. Again.”  
“But you weren’t together,” Kara frowned.  
“No. Quite the feat!” Lena replied wryly, lifting her glass.  
“You shouldn’t sit where you sleep!” Alex chimed in. “No. That’s not it. What is that saying? About sleeping with people who work for you?”  
Lena and Kara drank and ignored her.  
“I miss love,” Kara sighed suddenly.  
“Oh good,” Alex said under her breath. “We’re at wistful Kara already.”  
“I can hear you when you mutter,” her sister reminded her.  
“What do you miss about it?” Lena wanted to know.  
“Sex!” Kara yelled.  
“Well, you can get that anywhere,” Lena said. She waved grandly at the crowded bar. “Pick one.”  
“Nope,” Kara said then lowered her voice. “Got to choose carefully. Super strong remember.”  
“Oh my god!” Lena marvelled. “I hadn’t thought about you having a super vag!”  
“Lena!” Alex admonished her.  
Kara giggled.  
“Well do you?” Lena asked.  
Alex tried to move away so she couldn’t hear any more of the conversation, but Kara grabbed the back of her jacket and held tight.  
“Don’t leave,” she begged her sister.  
“Stop talking about your vagina and I’ll stay.”  
“Now there’s something I never thought I’d hear you say!” Lena quipped and laughed so hard she started to snort.  
“She’s my sister,” Alex said coldly.  
“Alex, I don’t think she ...” Kara began but Lena cut in.  
“But not really right? I mean she’s ...”  
Whatever Lena was about to say about Kara was choked off by Alex’s hard, weaponised body pressing her back into the bar. And not in a good way.  
“Alex ...” Kara tried again.  
“Do not ever say that again. Do you understand me?” At Lena’s fearful nod Alex stepped away. “I’m going home. Do you want to share a cab?” she said to her sister.  
“You go ahead,” Kara, suddenly sober, said softly.  
Alex turned and left the bar without so much as a look in Lena’s direction.  
“Wow,” Lena observed. “That touched a nerve.”  
“I’m sorry she was physical with you. You can’t ever suggest she and I aren’t family.”  
“Yes, I gathered that from her reaction.” Lena responded dryly.  
“She’ll apologise to you tomorrow, but you’ll probably notice she’ll be distant with you.”  
“For how long?” Lena needed to know.  
Kara shrugged.  
“Forever?”  
“Hard to know,” Kara said. “Maybe she’ll come around quickly. Maybe weeks or months.”  
“That’s not ... what should I do?”  
“I don’t know. You’ve exposed her vulnerable spot and punched her in it at the same time. She doesn’t trust you. Again.”  
“But I was just fooling around!” Lena protested.  
“Alex is trying to save the world and all the people who should be helping her are doing is throwing obstacles in her path. Except me. And Brainy. Lord knows what J’onn will or won’t be part of right now. You were right in that tight circle of hers and you sucker-punched her. Pardon her for taking that seriously.”  
“What have I done?” Lena said softly.  
“I can tell you that you can kiss whatever was happening between you goodbye. At least for now.”  
“And what about you and I, Kara?”  
“You need to understand it’s a measure of how much I value your friendship that I am still standing here with you. There’s almost no one else on any world that I would do that for. You also need to understand that if you don’t learn from this and take more care with my sister you and I will have problems.”  
She said all of this in that measured, light, Kara voice but Lena wasn’t fooled.  
“Understood,” she said gravely. “I never want to hurt you. Either of you.”  
“I know,” Kara said, struck by Lena’s use of those words in the same tone Alex had delivered them on Eliza’s deck the day after her break up with Maggie. “But Alex doesn’t know, Lena. Just remember she’s all about actions not words.”  
“My words condemn me in a heartbeat, but my actions may take months to undo that damage?” Lena’s tone indicated how unfair that seemed to her.  
“Yep. You know what? I’m going to go,” Kara said suddenly, and did so.

It struck Lena, not for the first time, that being involved with the Danvers sisters was exhausting. Once again, she was left wondering whether it was worth the effort. She decided to eat something while she weighed the Danvers pros and cons. She asked for a menu from the bar staff, ordered, and began considering her options:  
A. She could go back to her pre-Danvers life.  
2\. She could do some excellent grovelling to Alex.  
C. well, there really wasn’t a C

She lowered her head onto the bar with a soft thud.  
“Lena Luthor,” a familiar voice said from right beside her, “Kara says you need a friend. I am here.... is it ‘for you’? Is that right?”  
“Brainy,” Lena smiled. “Yes. ‘For you’ is correct. It’s very kind of you to come but I’m not sure if you can help.”  
“Lay it upon me Science Sister,” Brainy said. “That’s what Alex calls you – my Science Sister.”  
“Does she?” Lena sighed.  
“Kara says you upset Dir ... uh, Alex? Why would you upset Alex?”  
“I didn’t mean to.”  
“Oh. Then surely we can fix it.”  
“Kara seemed uncertain. I said she and Kara weren’t sisters.”  
“Oh. That does not sound like much of a joke to me, Lena Luthor.”  
“That became apparent very quickly,” Lena responded dryly.  
“I’ve found Alex to be more or less reasonable. Both kind and terrifying. Honourable. I’m sure if you present the facts she’ll ...,” he searched for the right phrase “come around.”  
“I’ve been sitting here weighing up my options,” Lena told him.  
“How so?”  
“Well, is it worth it? Are they worth it? They can be exhausting.”  
Brainy stood up straight vibrating with indignation. “Are you suggesting that the friendship of those two exceptional women is beneath your making the effort to repair?! Because Lena Luthor – and it pains me to have to say this – you are incorrect in your hypothesis!”  
“Yes, I suspected I was on the wrong track. Please, sit down.”  
“Only if you allow me to help you make a plan to get Alex to forgive you.”  
“I’ll take any help I can get.”  
“That’s wise,” Alex said from very close by. “Because, let me tell you, I’m a handful.”

Lena leapt off her stool and threw her arms around Alex’s neck, pulling her in tight. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered in Alex’s ear.  
“Me too,” Alex whispered back, pulling her in tighter. “Kind of a sore spot. Kara says I overreacted.”  
Brainy watched for a moment, then realised he was superfluous. “My work here is completed,” he said somewhat smugly. “Goodnight.”  
Lena and Alex waved absently in his direction.  
“What now?” Lena asked still uncertain what was happening.  
Instead of answering, Alex kissed her. It was a kiss that had a lot to say and it wasn’t until their hands were tangled in each other’s hair that they realised how far they’d gone with the conversation.  
One of the bar staff cleared their throat  
“Want me to make this to go?” he asked indicating Lena’s food.  
Lena looked to Alex.  
“Please,” Alex nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said again turning to Lena.  
“No,” Lena jumped in placing her fingers to Alex’s lips. “This was all me. I know how you two feel about each other and I know you’ve had a troubling week. I don’t ever want to hurt you,” she repeated to this other Danvers, this beautiful, madly brave woman.  
Alex stood stock still, staring back at her, Lena’s fingers still at her lips.  
“Here you go!” someone called cheerfully, and a to-go box appeared between them.  
“Thanks,” Alex said, taking it without looking away from Lena. Alex swallowed hard, her lips moving against Lena’s fingers. “What do you want to do?” she asked hopefully.  
“It’s tradition that when we leave this bar together, we go to my place,” Lena smiled.  
“Tradition?” Alex smiled.  
“Well, this is twice.”  
“Right,” Alex nodded. “I threatened to kick your delicious ass.”  
“You also said you could get used to having breakfast with me.”  
“I remember,” Alex said, smiling brightly.  
“You look like your sister when you smile,” Lena said beaming back.  
“That is the best thing anyone has ever said to me.”  
“Am I forgiven?”  
“I have a feeling I’ll never stay mad at you for long,” Alex said gently. “Come,” she added holding out her hand. “Let me take you home.”


	7. Not Leaving It Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Season 4 Episode 7.  
> Kara and Alex discuss Alex and Lena's relationship.
> 
> Note:  
> So Lena kills a guy dead doing mad scientist human experiments. I have no idea how to get around that being murder.

“Where’s Lena?” Kara asked, sliding a beer across her kitchen counter towards her sister.

“Working,” Alex replied.

“It’s late.”

“Yeah. Something big she’s been working on.” Alex frowned.

“Why the frown?”

“It’s secret. The work.”

“So is yours.”

“Yeah,” Alex conceded. “She said there was an accident.”

“Was anyone hurt?”

“I think so. She sounded ... sad. Really sad.”

“Maybe we should ...”

“No, she said she’d call.”

“How are you two doing?” Kara asked, concerned.

“Good, I think.”

“Alex?”

“It’s like ...” Alex began then took a pull at her beer then started again. “She’s extraordinary. I mean, I know you must know that.” Kara smiled and nodded. “She’s brilliant. So much smarter than me. No, she is,” she said cutting off Kara’s protest. “It’s part of why I’m so attracted to her. That and ... well, let me just say she’s very good at everything she turns her hands to.” Kara winced. “Sorry. Did she tell you about her Mom?”

“A little.”

“Did she tell you how she died?” Kara nodded. “She’s so rarely happy,” Alex said after a moment.

Kara’s brows knitted together in that particular way they did when she was concerned about her sister. “Tell me what you’re worried about.”

Alex chuckled. “It blows me away sometimes how like Mom you are.”

“Well she was my template for dealing with you,” Kara retorted good naturedly. “What’s going on, Alex?”

“I can’t fall in love with her.”

Alex watched her sister’s face and, as usual, she could read it like a book. She wasn’t surprised either that her sister took a moment to think or by what she said next.

“OK,” Kara drew it out while she thought some more about her response. “I kind of thought you were already. But OK. Why not?”

“Because except when we’re alone together when, frankly, I can barely think at all my primary instinct is to be worried about her.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“She’s so rarely happy,” Alex repeated. “She’s saved the world but all she seems able to do is blame herself for not saving it earlier.” Alex stood and started pacing back and forth. “There’s something in her, Kara, that makes her blind to her accomplishments. And this project that she’s working on now? It feels like it’s driven by that need to fix everything. She’s told me nothing specific. It’s the way she seems drained of everything.”

Kara nodded. “She does get obsessed by her projects.”

Alex shook her head, coming to stand close to her sister. “I get that. This is different. You know what this reminds me of?”

Kara studied her sister’s face. “Sam,” Kara said with a flat finality.

Alex nodded. “I thought we were past this with her.”

“James went to apologise to her tonight. I think he holds out hope there.” She watched Alex absorb that. “How do you feel about that?”

“I feel many things,” Alex admitted. “Jealousy? Sure. But also? I’m not sure which one of them I need to worry about most.”

“James has done some pretty stupid things lately. When I told him to apologise I didn’t mean for him to go running over there without calling first.”

“He is very proprietorial lately,” Alex agreed with only a whiff of sting to it.

“What are you going to do?”

“About James?” Alex asked a little confused.

“No, dummy. About Lena. About not being able to be in love with Lena. Are you going to stop seeing her? Are you going to stop sleeping with her?”

Alex winced. “I really don’t want to. Besides everything else, the last time we cut her loose when she was on a tear it was almost the end of the world.”

“Right. I do love her. I really don’t want to think she’d go off on one of her mad scientist jags again. I’m concerned about that level-playing-field-for-humans stuff she’s been talking about.”

“Me too.” Alex ran her hands through her hair. “Why does everything have to be so complicated?”

“That’s how we roll!” Kara said brightly.

“I love you, you know?” Alex said pulling Kara into a hug.

“Yes. I do know,” Kara nodded tugging her sister in tightly. “We can’t abandon her. We need to figure out what she’s up to. Let’s just ask,” she said firmly, letting Alex go. “Let’s abandon the Danvers sneaking around and screwing things up worse tradition and just flat out demand to know what’s going on.”

“Then what?”

“Then we help or go into damage control before someone gets hurt.”

“It’s too late for that,” Alex reminded her. “She’s already told me there’s been an accident.”

“Right. We’d better not waste any time then.”

“God, I hope she’s not doing anything stupid,” Alex sighed.

 

Lena stood with her cheek against the cool window of her office looking out over the city. She’d killed a man today. Murdered him. No fancy legal documents could get around that. Was it suicide by medical experiment? Maybe. But she’d killed him. Like most enormously wealthy people she was sure she wouldn’t be held accountable for it.

Two parts of her were at war. It wasn’t new to her, this split. She wasn’t sure anymore that she could live with it, though. The part of her that desperately wanted to be what Kara Danvers insisted was ‘good’ was wracked with guilt and shame. The part of her that couldn’t just let things be and that thought only of the end result was already doubling down.

There was a third voice in her head now too. Alex was always there these days. Lena closed her eyes and thought about those strong hands so gentle when they were on her. Lena was sure Alex knew something was wrong. She could feel it through their connection when they touched, the uncertainty, the withholding.

The part of her that was destination-obsessed was pushing to cut both the Danvers loose. They were obstacles. She worried they’d realise what was lurking there beyond what they loved about her. In those glorious times when she and Alex were impossible molten parts of a shattered whole, Lena knew Alex glimpsed what she tried so hard to hide. Alex understood danger better than anyone Lena had ever met. So, she knew Alex could feel it in her.

She realised she didn’t ever want Alex to find out about some of the things she’d done. She also realised she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from going down this path again.

 

The phone on her desk chimed.

“Yes,” she answered then listened to the security guard. “Of course. Send them up.”

 

So this was it.

The end of her time as a part of the Danvers’ world.

A tear started to roll down her cheek and she allowed it to, watching it in the reflection in the window.

Soon she saw Kara and Alex approaching her and turned to face them.

They saw the look on her face, the tracks of her tears.

Each of them took her by a hand, Alex placing a kiss light on her lips before pulling her close.

 

“We love you,” Kara said. “Let us help.”


	8. We Need to Have That Identity Convo Again, Sis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After S4 Ep8
> 
> Lena is off the radar, Alex is sidelined but has a sharp new 'do', the President has sacked Supergirl because she won't reveal her identity. Seems like a perfect reason for some sister time.
> 
> At the end of this piece Kara references a scene from a TV show. This is it in case you've not seen it: https://youtu.be/ERsrC13uCEQ?t=174

“Slow week at the DEO?” Kara asked as she settled into the couch beside her sister.

“Hardly!” Alex responded. “Why do you ask?”

“Well you had time for a haircut! Sharp!”

Alex chuckled. “Getting gayer with every cut!”

Kara smiled then sobered quickly. “Hey, have you seen Lena?”

Alex shook her head. “No. And it’s feeling more Reigny by the minute, no?”

“Except this time she knows she isn’t alone. I have to believe that’ll make a difference.”

Alex looked as though she wasn’t completely convinced. “Tell me about you, though? Are you all right?”

“Me? Sure!” Kara responded brightly.

“Kara. The President dismissed you. After all you’ve done.”

“Yeah, well,” Kara said waving dismissively. “That’s humans for you.”

“Hey!”

“Well your people aren’t exactly paragons of virtue,” Kara said with uncharacteristic heat.

“My ...!” Alex began to retort then paused. “OK,” she began again calmly after a moment. “First, _you_ are my people, dumbass. Second, humans do have problems but be careful about your glass house before you throw stones there, ‘Last’ Kryptonian. And (c) it’s OK to be hurt and angry about it. Anyway, President Jackass has it all wrong. Supergirl doesn’t have a secret identity, Kara does.”

“I can’t believe you just air-quoted ‘last’!”

“I can’t believe you ‘your peopled’ me.”

“Please stop with the air quotes.”

“Talk to me like you know how much I love you,” Alex shot back.

“I do,” Kara said, taking her sister’s hand. “Mostly. I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK. Tell me what you’re thinkin’?”

Kara sighed. “We’ve talked this out a million times.”

“Then one more won’t kill us.”

“I don’t want to put the people I love in danger.”

“Yeah, that’s your excuse for the civilians. You think Eliza Danvers will be frightened by a few more Nazis? Or James? Cause I know you can’t be suggesting _I_ can’t take care of myself.”

“I’d have to go around and come out to everybody who doesn’t know.”

“No shit Sherlock,” her late-realising-lesbian sister responded.

“I want to be able to be Kara.”

“There we go,” Alex said triumphantly.

“That isn’t helpful.”

“Sure it is.”

“How, exactly?”

“You can’t always prioritise the rest of us, Kara. Sometimes you have to take care of you.”

“I don’t know, Alex. Maybe he was right. Maybe my privacy isn’t worth risking the world.”

Alex snorted. “He’s not right. You’ve been Kara and Supergirl all along and you’ve saved the whole damn world, as Buffy would say, a lot.”

“This really does feel like the Hellmouth sometimes.”

“Huh,” Alex exclaimed with surprise. “I just now realised something about Grey’s.”

“You’re making me want to stop talking and watch TV.”

“That’s always an option. We could take a break and watch the plane crash episodes?”

“You know those give me the creeps.”

“I do know,” her sister nodded cheekily. “Look we don’t have to stop working together. Brainy’s already come up with a hidden comms channel. None of my guys are going to stop you helping.”

“That doesn’t solve my identity crisis.”

“You know, I’m not convinced you have one.”

“What? You’ve never said that before.”

“Well, I have new-found wisdom. What’s your name?”

“Kara Danvers.”

Alex beamed for a moment. “What’s your other name?”

“Kara Zor-El.”

“Right. And who called you Supergirl?”

“Cat Grant.”

“Why?”

“She thought it was a good brand.”

“So not your name then?”

“No. I see where you’re going but ...”

“Do you?” Alex broke in, grabbing her sister by the shoulders. “You are Kara Zor-El Danvers, a smart, kind, loving, optimistic, crazy brave kid from Krypton who dropped into my life like a miracle. A change of atmosphere meant you could do stuff here that others can’t. You’re like the Sue Bird of crime fighting except you are literally a creature from another planet where she just really, really seems like it. And not for nothing but she stopped protecting her private life from the public when she was damn ready to, so.”

“Now I want to watch the WNBA championship series replay.”

“Put it on the list. Look, you need to listen to me. You know who you are. You don’t have to ‘unmask’ yourself – sorry,” she added realising she’d air quoted again. She stuffed her hands into her pockets. “Honestly, people who look see you. They see all of you.”

“Not many.”

Alex began counting off. “Me, J’onn, Mom, Maggie, Winn, James, Lena ... why are you frowning?”

“They’re all people you love.”

“Of course,” Alex said taking her turn to wrinkle her brow in confusion.

“See? You’re adjusting your life because of my stupid dual identities!”

“I’m not adjusting anything. You are my sister. I would never be with anyone who couldn’t accept you. You are at the beating heart of who I am. I know you’re hurting, and this isn’t about me but Kara please, don’t doubt that.”

Kara stared at her sister lovingly for a moment then lit up her trademark grin. “Brainy made me another secret channel?”

Alex sighed with relief. “Yes. Yes, he did.”

“OK. Hey! I have to tell you about Nia. She’s from a planet called ...”.

 

Five minutes later Kara reached over and pushed Alex’s mouth shut.

“Right?” she asked. “She was badass! I did not see that coming. Well, I didn’t see anything about Nia coming. I must not have Alien-dar.”

Alex snapped out of her mind-blowing-news-enhanced stupor. “Have what now?”

“Like gaydar. Which you seem to have developed, so maybe I’ll get better.”

“Idiot. It doesn’t even rhyme.”

“Yeah. Well.”

Alex chuckled. “Hard to believe sometimes that you make your living with words.”

“Hey!”

“I rest my case.”

“So, you haven’t heard from Lena at all?”

“Nope.  What _is_ your plan with the President?”

Again, Kara shrugged. “I can’t unmask Supergirl. It would make being Kara Danvers impossible and I know you think you can all handle the bad guys who would come after you but I’m not sure any of you are ready for the press.”

Alex winced. “I guess none of us need that kind of scrutiny. Do we even know anyone with an ordinary life?”

Kara barked out a laugh. “I mean, some of my CatCo colleagues, I guess. But our friends? No.”

“Mom says that’s because we’re extraordinary,” Alex mused.

“She can see the silver lining in anything,” Kara said fondly.

“Yeah. The older we get the more I realise not all that you are came with you from Krypton.”

“You’ve said something like that before.”

“Yeah.”

“Alex?” Kara asked searching her sister’s eyes.

“I’m used to you having my back. At the DEO. Now is not the time for me to falter there. I’m not sure I can do it without you.”

“You aren’t still thinking you work there because of me?”

Alex smiled a little. “No. At least, not often any more. J’onn chased that out of me. But we are a team.”

“And we still will be. I’m not going to stop watching out for you.” She slid her arm around her sister’s shoulders. “We’ll work it out.”

“I may have to leave the DEO to protect you,” Alex said after a moment.

“Alex. No.”

“Kara. Yes.” Alex mimicked. “If they order me to tell them who Supergirl is I’ll need to go.”

“What would you do?” Kara asked, accepting the sacrifice grudgingly.

“No idea,” Alex chuckled uneasily. “Maybe I could get work at LCorp?”

Kara frowned. “If there is an LCorp. We really need to find out what’s going on with Lena.”

“Agreed. And Mrs Lockwood.”

“Is it weird that I have a more certain idea of what Mrs Lockwood is doing than Lena?”

“Weird is where we live, girl.”

“’Don’t call me girl, Sir!’” Kara said in her best Sloan Sabbith impression. “Ooh! Now I want to watch Newsroom!”


	9. Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Season 4 Episode 9 - the Elseworlds crossover.
> 
> There wasn't much interaction for me to work with here so this week is a little shorter than usual.
> 
> Also a reminder that as this series is a response to episodes aired I'll be taking a break until the series resumes in January.
> 
> Have a happy and safe holiday season and we'll catch up on the other side.

Lena was pacing back and forth in front of Alex in a worryingly tense manner. She stopped suddenly and spun around to face Alex, pinning her with a glare.

“So, two men from other worlds – because we actually live in a multiverse – came through a portal ..”

“Breach,” Alex corrects.

“Right. Through a breach to get Kara because something had made them switch bodies,” Lena said in a way that Alex felt this might be all her fault, “and they thought that – and correct me if I’m wrong – that if Kara recognised them for their real selves she could help them somehow swap back?”

“Essentially, yes,” Alex nodded.

“And her cousin, Clark Kent, went with them because he’s freaking Superman?”

“Correct,” Alex nodded again.

“And he’s younger than Kara?”

“By a little bit, yeah.”

Lena went back to pacing.

“I know it’s a lot but after that the story gets pretty wild ...”

Lena turned slowly to face her. “There’s _more_?!”

“Oh, yeah!” Alex said enthusiastically but not loud enough to wake her sister in the next room. “Oliver and Barry ...”

“Their names are Oliver and Barry?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know,” Lena shook herself. “Never mind, carry on. Slowly.”

“OK. So, the boys jump from Earth-1 here to the Kent farm.”

“Why was Kara at the farm?”

“Oh. While you were away the President sacked Supergirl because she wouldn’t reveal her identity to him.”

“He is such a dick.”

“Yes, but technically my Commander in Chief so no. Anyway at the farm. Cisco comes to take them back to Earth-1 because there’s trouble.”

“Oh God what now?” Lena moaned, finally sitting.

“Well, it’s not really important – they fixed it anyway and Clark came home. But then Cisco told them about the book and his Vibe. That’s not important either,” she says before Lena can ask. “Anyway, they got a lead that whatever was going on it had to do with Gotham City. There they met up with Kate Kane – and you won’t believe this...”

“She’s Bruce Wayne’s cousin.”

“Oh. I guess you will believe it. So, you know her?”

“Very well.”

“Kara seems quite taken with her.”

“Who isn’t?”

“Oh, so you know her,know her?” Alex asked trying her hardest not to sound jealous.

“All the hot billionaires know each other,” Kara said from the bedroom doorway.

“Oh, did we wake you up?” Alex asked, rising to put her arms around her sister.

Kara shook her head. “No.”

“I’m just hearing about your adventures,” Lena said, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Kate Kane.”

“She’s something isn’t she?” Kara asked. “I kind of have a crush.”

“There’s quite a queue,” Lena smiled.

“Her flirting game is strong,” Kara said fanning herself.

“What is going on?” Alex wanted to know, not really sure which woman she was talking to.

“Go on with the story,” Lena invited.

“Blah, blah, blah,” Kara said. “We got the book, rewrote everything and everyone back in place, it was all a test because ‘there’s something coming’,” she concluded, complete with air quotes.

Lena looked a little stunned.

“Oh!” Kara exclaimed. “There was another Alex. One who wasn’t my sister.”

“What do you mean?” Lena asked.

“In her reality Kara never landed,” Alex explained with a shiver. “It’s unimaginable.”

“Was she Alex?” Lena asked Kara.

“Yes, definitely,” Kara nodded. “But she didn’t know me. I can’t think about it too much.”

“Oh, and Kara and Barry slowed down time!” Alex interjected with a distraction.

“Really?” Lena asked, intrigued.

Kara nodded. “He ran one way and I flew the other.”

“And that slowed time?” Lena prodded.

Kara nodded. “Yep.”

“How fast?” Lena wanted to know.

“Well, once you start talking in Machs it’s...” Kara finished with a shrug.

“How on earth you survived that I do not know,” Alex said shaking her head. “Either of you.”

“Enough about me,” Kara yawned. “Where have you been young lady?” she asked Lena mock-sternly.

Lena flinched. “Business trip,” she said quietly. “It’s good to be home,” she added smiling at Alex who blushed charmingly.

“Well, I’m glad Alex had company.”

“So, to recap,” Lena said, “rewritten realities, the multiverse, travelling between worlds using breaches, vibing – which I don’t even, The Arrow, The Flash, Superman, Batwoman, slowing time, a god maybe, and imminent end of worlds?”

“Yep,” Kara said. “Oh! No! Wait! Also? Clark and Lois are pregnant and moving to Argo.”

“What?” Alex gasped.

“Right?” Kara responded. “Great right?”

“Oh, Kara,” Alex said sympathetically as she hugged her. “You’ll miss him.”

“I have you,” Kara hugged her back. “Clark’s never been my constant. It’s always you.”

Alex wiped at her eyes.

“I’ll just go,” Lena said, gathering her things.

“No! Stay!” both Danvers said at once, reaching for her.

“I really should go. I haven’t been home yet,” she smiled shyly at Alex who blushed then kissed Kara’s cheek. “I’m looking forward to hearing more detail about your adventures,” she smiled.

“Me too,” Kara returned lightly.

Alex saw Lena down to where her limo waited in the street. When she returned Kara was in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal.

“Owlonhassheebnbck?” Kara said around a mouthful of corn flakes.

“Mmm?” Alex hummed. “Oh. Couple days.”

“So, where’s she been?”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“You didn’t ask?” Alex shot her a look. “She wouldn’t tell you?”

“We didn’t do a lot of talking.”

“Alex. What’s going on?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“How did you leave it with her?”

“She said she’d call me later,” Alex shrugged.

“You know Other You didn’t seem to know she liked girls. Although Other Caitlin seemed to think Other You was into me.”

Alex nodded. “Ew, but it makes sense.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well the ‘ew’ I think is obvious. But, I love you so much. If she felt like I do about you - and you weren’t her sister - I imagine that’s what it would look like to other people.”

“She called me her sister though.”

“We’ll know each other everywhere forever, you and I.”

“I _told_ Other You  _I_  was the lucky sister!” Kara cried.

“I don’t know what to do about Lena, Kara,” Alex admitted after a moment. “I’m so attracted to her I can’t think clearly when she’s around. But, as soon as she’s gone, I don’t know if I can trust her or what I’m feeling.”

“We never pick the easy ones do we?”

“So, you have a crush on this Kane chick now?”

“She is like Sara-Lance-level charming.”

“Whoa!”

“Yeah.”

“She come on to you?”

“Yes. I blushed _and_ giggled _and_ stammered.”

“Lena seemed to know Kane was Batwoman.”

“Yeah, I caught that too,” Kara nodded.

“Lena Luthor knows a lot of secrets and I feel like we don’t know any of hers,” Alex said grimly.

“I still trust her, Alex. I believe in her.”

“I have never wanted you to be right more than I do right now,” Alex replied. 


	10. Gotta Keep Em Separated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Season 4 Episode 10. Holy shirt balls. This episode is a lot!  
> Alex (and others) won't remember Kara is Supergirl!! Like Kara doesn't have enough angst about her two identities.  
> At least in my world she has Lena!

“Alex. No.”

“Kara. Yes.” Alex tried to smile into her sister’s eyes at their old, teasing call and response. Failing at cheering either of them, Alex became grimly serious. “Let me save you for once.”

Kara began to cry. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t. I’ll still be your sister. Kara’s sister,” she corrected.

 

“Kara?” Lena called from the open doorway of her office patio.

Kara realised she’d flown here in her own clothes.

“Kara?” Lena repeated, coming to squat beside her friend, searching for her eyes. “What’s happened?” When Kara kept silent Lena grabbed her hand. “Is it Alex?” Lena asked, suddenly desperate, dread approaching quickly.

Kara nodded, Lena’s stomach fell and, out of balance, she slumped to the floor sobbing.

Kara blinked as if waking. “No, Lena. She isn’t dead. I’m so sorry,” she said taking her friend into her arms.

“What then?” Lena begged.

“You remember we told you about Haley? How she and the President demanded to know my identity?” Lena nodded. “She found out,” Kara said quietly. “So we got J’onn to make her forget.”

“How ...? Never mind. Go on. Alex? What happened to Alex?”

“We got J’onn to make everyone at the DEO forget that I’m Supergirl.”

Lena frowned. “Including Alex?”

Kara nodded.

“But she still knows you’re her sister?”

“Yes. But not that Supergirl is me.”

“Is it permanent?” At Kara’s shrug she sat back against the wall. “So she’s still Alex?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her yet. I ... I ran away. I met an Alex without a sister at all. We’re a part of each other. This must make us distant? I mean she won’t remember flying out our bedroom window or keeping me safe.”

“She’ll remember she loves you. I can’t believe anything will make her forget that.”

“I don’t know, Lena,” Kara whispered.

“Why do I still know?”

“Haley wouldn’t dare pursue you. You’re my friend anyway. Not Supergirl’s. So she wouldn’t make the connection.”

“So she hasn’t stopped?”

“No. J’onn took the knowledge but not her relentless pursuit of it.”

“So who else still knows?”

“You. J’onn. James. Eliza. Kate Kane. Barry...”

“If I’m safe let’s assume people on other earths are too, hmm?”

“Right. You should call James.”

“Soon. Let’s think about what has to change.”

“At least you aren’t seeing Alex any more so that’s one less complication.” Kara watched her friend’s face. “Oh my god! You’re still seeing her!”

Lena shrugged. “It’s nothing regular.”

“You have to be careful.”

“It isn’t me we need to worry about. I’m not the one who can’t lie.”

“I can lie!” Kara said unconvincingly.

“No, darling girl, you cannot. Surely Alex left a plan?”

Kara sighed. “Not really. It all happened so fast.”

“I find that hard to believe. Alex plans everything. This is so irresponsible! No end date, no contingency plan! What are we ... you supposed to do? You can’t get her thinking about Supergirl and you too closely. You know how smart she is. Oh, god, that won’t change will it?”

Kara shook her head. “I would never have let her do it if J’onn had been uncertain about that. I would never...” Kara tried to control the urge to sob and failed. “My beautiful, brave sister. What have I done?”

Lena reached over and tugged her friend close enough to embrace her. “We need assume she’ll be fine. We need to trust J’onn. We need to make sure you survive this.”

“I’ll be fine,” Kara sniffed.

“Such a shit liar,” Lena said fondly. “God dammit Alex,” she murmured.

“No. She did this to save me. She did it for me.”

“Stupid gallant idiot,” Lena mused.

“I don’t know what to do,” Kara admitted.

“You’re going to have to wait and react to how she is. Obviously, you’ll need to pretend you know less about her work.”

“Kara doesn’t know about the DEO. So many lies between us now. I miss her already.”

“Me too.”

“She’ll still be attracted to you,” Kara assured her.

“I’m not sure she’ll even know me though?” She frowned, suddenly finding herself blinking back tears.

“Hey,” Kara said gently, relieved to be able to concentrate on her friend for a while instead of drowning in her own feelings. “Look at you. You’re impossible to resist! But aren’t you with James? So maybe it’d be good? Give you and he some clean air to start again”

“Right,” Lena nodded.

“That doesn’t sound very convincing.”

“No.”

“I think you’re right. There’s not much we can do until we know how Alex feels about us now. And there’s no way to know that except to see her. I’ll text and ask her over to my house after work.” She stood finally with a groan then extended her hand to help Lena up.

“Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“When you stood up you groaned. But you couldn’t possibly be under any physical strain.”

“No, I’m just used to pretending. Like when you and I go to the gym.”

Lena laughed grimly. “Right. I hadn’t thought about that. Maybe you aren’t as bad at lying as I thought.”

“I guess,” Kara nodded, helping Lena up. “You should talk to James. I’ll contact the others.” She thought for a moment. “Maggie!”

“She knows?”

“Sure. I’m a detective, Danvers. I detect,” she added in a pretty good Sawyer impersonation.

“She and Alex aren’t in touch though?” Lena asked very casually.

“I can’t imagine they are. But I wasn’t aware you two were still hooking up either so,” she shrugged to end the sentence.

Lena winced. “Sorry. That was on me. I didn’t want you to have to lie to James.”

“Or you were worried I’d think you weren’t treating my sister right?”

“That too,” Lena acknowledged.

“This is going to be a cluster,” Kara said shaking her head. “There had to have been a better way.”

“Maybe we’ll all learn something.”

“About what?”

“Love,” Lena replied.

 


	11. Bloody Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After S4Ep11 Blood Memory.  
> Has Alex been permanently damaged by the stupid mind erasing solution?

“That is not Alex!” Lena barked furiously as she brushed past Kara into her apartment.  
“No,” was all Kara could say. She shut the door softly.  
“I mean, I knew you two were intertwined but she’s ... Kara she’s ... vacant,” Lena finally said settling on a word.  
“Lena ...”  
“And I’m not sure she remembers our ...” in deference to Kara she finished that sentence with a gesture.  
Kara’s frown deepened. “Yeah. J’onn and I have just been talking about it – what else is missing.”  
“Alex, Kara. Alex is missing,” she cried, pacing back and forth. “One of my colleagues has Alzheimer’s. That’s what this feels like.” She abruptly stopped pacing and turned to Kara, stricken. “God, I’m sorry. This must be horrific for you. How can I help?”  
Kara smiled but didn’t manage to light it up like she usually would. She shrugged. “Don’t abandon her. I have to believe she’ll find herself.”  
“Alex stood in my kitchen with her hand on her heart and told me she felt exactly the same when something happened to either you or Supergirl. She’s had that cut out. You must feel it too? That’s a stranger in the shape of Alex. We have to get her back.”  
“We can’t Lena! Not yet.”  
“Because of this creature in a bottle?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Brainy has no ideas?”  
Kara shook her head. “It really freaks him out. You hated Supergirl and now you don’t. What changed? Maybe I can use the same strategy to get Alex to like her. Me. You know what I mean.”  
“I fell for her sister,” Lena said.  
“Well, I guess that’s out.”  
“Or is it?”   
“You have an idea!” Kara accused.  
“Yes. But it’s weird.”  
“We’re already there.”  
“True. OK. Here’s my idea: Kara meets and likes Supergirl forcing Alex to reconsider her feelings towards Supergirl.”  
“Huh?”  
“I mean you don’t have to sleep with her ...”  
“There is no her! It me!”  
“Right. So just pretend you – I dunno – interviewed her for work. Then you two start hanging out. Voila. You’re friends.”  
“I thought we were avoiding a link between me and Supergirl?”  
“Right. Good point. This is shit. Let’s drink.”  
“Oh, I don’t know...”  
“How about this?” Lena asked over her shoulder on the way to the fridge. “How about I get it on with Supergirl?”  
Kara choked on air. “Whuh?”  
“I could be the link for Alex to rethink Supergirl. Maybe getting Alex to think about her as a hot chick is the way to go.”  
“Again, you’re forgetting Supergirl is me. I don’t want my sister thinking I’m hot.”  
“Right.” Lena held up her hands defensively. “I’m not stepping in that again. She is hot though. All those muscles.” Lena’s eyebrows danced.  
“Why would you do this to me?” Kara choked out.  
“Because you’re sad and lost and I love you.” Lena passed her a beer.  
“Oh.”  
They drank for a moment.  
Kara tilted her head slightly and watched her friend. “So, you think I’m – she’s – hot huh?”  
Lena’s eyebrows shot towards her hairline. She laughed delightedly. “Definitely,” she got out eventually. “You Danverses and your muscles.”  
“Have you always been attracted to both men and women?”  
“Girls first actually – all girls’ school. I suppose I’m a bit of a cliché! I haven’t really had time for much of anyone. You?”  
Kara shook her head.   
“Is that a Kryptonian thing?”  
“No I think it’s a Kara thing.”  
“Never been attracted to a woman ever? Not even Cat?”  
Kara blushed and then stammered. “No I, you, no, Cat?! No!”  
“Kate Kane?”  
Kara blushed deeper. “OK,” she conceded raising her hands in surrender. “But come on!”  
“She is delicious,” Lena agreed.  
“I knew it! You slept with Kate Kane!”  
“I did.”  
“And?”  
“As I said. She’s delicious. Whatever you’re imagining it’s more.”  
“You have a type.”  
“Superheros? Well. I’m hardly on my own there.”  
“How long were you with Kate?”  
“I’m not sure anyone is ever ‘with’ Kate. That’s one messed up family.”  
“Clark agrees with you.”  
“I’m sure. Do you find your cousin a little ...”  
“Sanctimonious?”  
“Well...”  
“I understand why people think so. But he actually really feels that way. He has his moral code and he lives by it. He’s like his Dad.” Lena pointed towards the ceiling with a questioning look. “Oh no. His Earth father,” said Kara. “Jor-El was actually kind of a dick.”  
“You knew him?”  
“Yes. He was my uncle.”  
“How is Eliza coping with the latest events?”  
“Well, her husband disappeared and then turned up years later working for the bad guys. One of her daughters is an alien and the other is a genius lesbian warrior. So she’s doing OK. She’s worried about Alex’s mind. And my heart.”  
“Me too,” Lena nodded. “Another beer?”  
“No. Thanks. Would you like to go flying?”  
“Really?” Lena stood, excited.  
“Really. It makes me feel free. Just for a little bit. Maybe you will too.”  
“Yes,” Lena breathed, eyes shining.  
Kara ripped open her shirt making Lena gasp and look away.  
“Holy hell!” Lena muttered.  
“Ready?”   
Lena turned back to see Supergirl standing where Kara had been. Lena licked her lips. Supergirl threw back her head and laughed.  
“You’re such a sensualist,” the Girl of Steel chided her friend.  
Lena shrugged. “That shirt rip is quite something.”  
“I’m going to have to pick you up. Can you handle it?”  
“I ...” Lena cleared her throat and tried again. “I’ll be fine.”  
“OK. Here we go,” Supergirl said swooping Lena up into her arms. She walked to the window, stood momentarily on the ledge then shot up into the sky.  
Lena squealed.  
“OK?” Supergirl spoke straight into Lena’s ear.   
Lena nodded and grinned.  
They streaked across the night sky of their city.  
Behind them Alex let herself into Kara’s apartment.


	12. A DEO Agent, A Genius Billionaire, and Two Aliens Go To A Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Season 4 Episode 12  
> Snakes, secrets, superheroes, break-ups. After a day like that a girl needs a drink.

Alex indicated to the barkeep that she wanted another.  
“Make that two,” Lena said from just over Alex’s shoulder. “Hi,” she greeted Alex warmly as she hitched herself up onto the neighbouring stool, her tight skirt and high heels making it a delightfully awkward manoeuvre.  
“Lena,” Alex greeted, and Lena once more missed the warmth that used to connect them.  
“Alex,” Lena nodded. “Bad day?”  
Alex turned to her, watching her for a moment as if trying to make a decision. “Lately I feel like there’s something missing.”  
“Kara says you’re getting on with the adoption process?” Lena offered.  
Alex shook her head, frustrated. “Not what I mean.”  
“What then?” Lena asked kindly, heartbroken for what had happened to her beautiful lover.  
“Sometimes it’s a feeling that I have more to do but I don’t know what it is. I’ve been meeting people whose names I don’t remember. Women I’ve slept with,” she added, clearly horrified.  
“That doesn’t seem like you at all.”  
“Right? Remember when you broke up with James and you and Kara and I came here?”  
Lena smiled. “Vividly.”  
“Well I don’t. Not all of it. It feels like that’s when you and I started seeing each other?”  
“Is that why you’ve been distant with me? You can’t remember exactly how we were?”  
Alex nodded. “And you’re clearly with James now so ...”  
Lena laughed hollowly. “We just broke up again, actually.”  
“What did he do?”  
“Pretty similar to last time, really. He thought the worst of me.”  
“He’s an idiot.”  
Lena raised her glass in a salute and emptied it in one swallow.  
“What was it this time? You save his life again?”  
“No. I told him your boss had approached me to contract some of our tech to weaponise it.”  
“Haley?”  
“Yeah.”  
“How did you leave it?”  
“See that’s what James didn’t bother asking.”  
“He really can be an asshat.”  
“So, you’ve been dating?”  
“Quite a bit,” Alex nodded, relieved to move away from the subject of James. “If I don’t look I’ll never find her, right?”  
“Right,” Lena nodded. “Did you find out what her name was?”  
“Becca. She says I ghosted her.”  
“Well, you can be elusive but you’re not the disappearing without a goodbye kind. In my experience.”  
Alex blushed.  
“I’ve embarrassed you,” Lena said apologetically. “I’ll go.”  
Alex caught her hand. “Stay. I feel ... safer? ... when you’re here.”  
“You really do say the most extraordinary things to a girl. Where’s Kara tonight? She’s usually your wingman no?”  
“She and Nia are working a story.”  
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Lena asked cheekily.  
“No,” Alex said sternly, pointing a commanding finger in Lena’s direction. “Don’t do that.”  
“It’d be hard to give them a portmanteau,” Lena continued unabashed. “Kara and Nia. Kia? No that’s a kind of car. It’d have to be Nara, right?” She stopped, noticing Alex was looking at her questioningly. “What?”  
“You’re a goof. Lena Luthor is a goof. How could I not be attracted to you?”  
“Alex,” Lena began softly.  
“Oh, no,” Alex stepped back, holding up her hands. “I wasn’t hitting on you!”  
“It’s OK. Things are just confusing right now.”  
“You can say that again.”  
“Neither of us are in any condition to start seeing each other again. As tempting as it is,” Lena added allowing herself to open up as she looked into Alex’s eyes for a moment.  
Alex blinked and it was gone. She cleared her throat. “Right.”

“Hey! You guys!” The unmistakeable voice of a joyful Kara made them both turn with a smile.  
Lena noticed Nia just behind her friend. She leaned toward Alex and murmured “Definitely Nara.”  
Alex couldn’t contain a burst of laughter. She rose to hug her sister.  
“Hi. How are you after today?”  
“Today? Oh. The snake lady.” She shivered. “I’m OK. Nia and I just finished up at work, so we thought we’d have a quick drink. We won’t disturb you two though if you’re ...uh, busy?”  
“Sit,” Lena said. “James just broke up with me again. The more the merrier.”  
“He’s an idiot,” Kara said, giving her friend a hug.  
“That’s what I said,” Alex nodded.  
“Uh. I think I’ll go,” Nia muttered, turning to do so.  
Kara caught her arm and did her best puppy face. “No!”  
“He’s my boss so this feels kind of inappropriate?”  
“Right you are,” Lena nodded. “We’ll talk about something else. What do you have to drink about Nia?” she asked passing the young woman a shot.  
“Well, my mom just died.” Silence fell for a moment then Nia raised her glass. “To Mom.”  
They all raised their glasses and drank.

“Is this normal for them?” Nia asked Lena gesturing towards the Danvers sisters arguing over movie night favourites.  
“It’s hard to say.”  
“Because of the mind thing?” Lena looked stunned. “Kara told me you knew. Poor Alex.”  
“Can you excuse me a sec Nia?” Lena said, trying to sound calm.  
Nia frowned. “Sure. I hope I didn’t ...” but Lena was already dragging Kara away by her ear.  
“What’s that about?” Alex asked.  
Nia shrugged. “I hope it wasn’t something I said.”  
“Lena’s hot.”  
“She is.”

“What the fuck Kara?” Lena demanded.  
“Can you be more specific?”  
“Nia knows about Alex? Nia knows you’re Supergirl???”  
“Oh. Yep.”  
“Well that’s just perfect. I guess I know where I stand.” Lena started to stalk away.  
“Wait. You don’t understand.”  
“Oh I think I do. You don’t trust me.”  
“No. Lena she’s like me. Well, she’s an alien. With powers.”  
“So you instantly trust her?”  
“No. She proved herself. But also she can take care of herself.”  
“I’m not helpless Kara.”  
“I know. It’s because I know what a mistake I made not telling you that I told her.”  
“Well. You could have led with that.”  
“I’m sorry.”  
“It’s OK. Just give me a heads-up next time.”

“What’s going on?” Alex asked when they returned.  
“Nothing,” Kara said.  
“Misunderstanding,” Lena added.  
“OK. Hey where did you guys go the other night?”  
“When?” they both asked.  
“I went over to Kara’s and the window was wide open and your purse was there Lena but no one was home.”  
“We ... went for a walk,” Kara supplied.  
“A walk,” Alex checked.  
“Yes. I was feeling claustrophobic,” Lena said. “So we went for a stroll. Got talking and next thing we knew we’d gone for miles.  
Alex frowned. “Well you should be more careful. And take your phones at least.”  
“Yes Big Sister,” Kara smiled kissing her cheek.  
“I do love it when you're protective,” Lena purred, drawing her finger down Alex’s neck. Nia, Kara, and Alex all blushed. Lena smiled wickedly. “And on that note I’m going home.”


	13. She Blinded Me With Science

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of 4x13 Kara gets 2 visits.

“What happened to your head?” Kara asked but her sister waved her off. “Alex, you need to stop pacing and talk. You’re freaking me out,” Kara begged.  
Alex turned to her, brow creased in confusion. She took a deep breath. “It’s Lena,” she finally managed.  
“Is she all right?” Kara asked urgently.  
“She’s great,” Alex sighed.  
Kara took a moment to recover from emotional whiplash. “OK. Catch me up here. You’ve seen Lena?”  
Alex nodded. “We’re ... doing some work together.”  
Kara felt the minefield of Alex’s erased memories, of what she would not know, opening up before her. “That’s happened before, right?”  
“Yes,” Alex answered, too distracted to be cautious.  
“So, this is different?”  
“I ... she’s ...,” Alex couldn’t quite find the right starting point.  
“You like her.”  
“Yes. But ...,” again Alex seemed lost.  
“Do we need ice cream for this?”  
“Yes.”  
“OK. Sit.”  
By the time Kara made it back to the couch armed with spoons to attack tubs of ice cream Alex seemed more put together. After a few spoonsful she took a breath and started again.  
“Lena and I have been – I don’t know, distant? Lately. She was with James and I was busy I guess? We were talking about her work. She’s so smart. And beautiful. And I’d forgotten how great she smells. It’s like there’s a woody kind of base to it with a lemon top note? Anyway. It just hit me.”  
“She’s a lot,” Kara responded sympathetically. “So, did you ask her out?”  
“No!” Alex almost shouted. “Should I?” she whispered.  
“You two seemed to have something before.”  
“Yes,” Alex frowned. “That’s one of the things that feels kind of foggy.”  
“Wow you did hit your head hard!” Kara quipped. “Tell me about Lena. As much of it as you can,” Kara said, sad and tired of diverting her sister away from discussions of issues with her memory.  
“Lena’s been working on a project that the government is interested in,” Alex began with practiced vagueness. “It’s an ... ethically difficult project. She and I talked about those issues and ... well, you know.”  
“She’s a lot,” Kara repeated, nodding.  
“Yes,” Alex said. “But it feels like not too much, you know?”  
“I envy you how you love,” Kara replied with a little sadness.  
“Women you mean?”  
“No. Fully.”  
“Kara ....”  
“No this isn’t about me. Tell me more. Tell me more about her being not too much.”  
“It’s like ... I imagine everyone with a pulse looks at her and thinks ‘phwaugh!’ but I feel it kind of holistically? Like something happens to my entire self when she’s near? This sounds stupid.”  
“No. It really doesn’t.”  
“I don’t know what to do.”  
“Sure you do.”  
“This is not the right time. We’re working together. It’s important. We can’t ...”  
“Don’t wait Alex. There are always more excuses than time when you’re afraid. And you are the bravest person I’ve ever met. You do things despite being afraid. Remember who you are.”  
“That’s been a struggle lately.”  
“I know. But you’ll always be my stupid head sister so there’s that.”  
“Not a stupid head,” Alex grinned then shivered.  
“You get brain freeze?” Kara asked.  
“No. A déjà vu I guess. I’ve been having that a lot lately.”  
“You need to sleep more,” Kara deflected, hating herself with every lying word.  
“Maybe.”  
“Stay here. I’ll make pancakes in the morning.”  
“Wow this one just keeps on going!”  
“It’s not like we’ve never been in this scenario before. Like a million times.”  
“Right. OK. I’ll stay.”  
“I’ll get you some sweats and make up the couch.”  
Alex felt a headache coming on. Maybe she had eaten her ice cream too quickly.

THE NEXT DAY

Kara looked up from her desk to realise two things:  
1\. It was getting dark outside.  
2\. Lena was the owner of the knuckles wrapping on her open door.

She assaulted her friend with a blinding smile. “Hey Boss!” she greeted fondly.  
“Hi. Do you have a moment?”  
“Sure. Always,” Kara said rising to greet her friend with a gentle brush down her arm as she passed her to shut the door. “Sit. Sit. What’s up?”  
“I’ve been at the DEO a bit lately.”  
“Oh?”  
Lena waved a hand vaguely. “They want some research help. Anyway. I was there today and ...”  
“Did you see Alex?”  
“Yes.”  
“How’s that cut on her head?”  
“She said it was fine. It looks nasty though.”  
“Sorry. You were saying?”  
“She’s a lot. Your sister. She’s so earnest and beautiful and so ... I’m ...” Lena cast about for the right word “... falling.”  
“Falling?” Kara repeated. “Oh. Falling. For Alex?”  
Lena nodded. “But I don’t know how to ... I mean it’s difficult enough at the best of times and now there’s the elephant in the room ...” she trailed off gesturing towards her friend.  
“Did you just call me an elephant?” Kara asked only half in amusement.  
“You know what I mean,” Lena rebutted. “Can you have a real relationship with that big a secret between you?”  
“You kind of have with everyone else,” Kara said gently. “You’ve been on the other side of it, so you’d know better than most. I gotta say, though, I find it heartbreaking.”  
“So I shouldn’t pursue this,” Lena nodded, making as if to rise.  
Kara grabbed her arm. “No. That’s not what I’m saying. You two are good together. There’s an equity and a balance there. You make her happy. Maybe you don’t feel that way though?”  
“No, I do. But Kara. You’re her sister. I love you both. I’m not sure ...”  
“Lena. I want you both to be happy. What if she can never recover her memory?” She shrugged when Lena gasped at that. “She came to help me you know? I went to ask for her help. She quoted me to myself. It’s hard Lena. But she’s so worth it. To me. And I suspect to you.”  
“She’s agreed to help me too. She’s becoming more herself every day. Don’t you think?”  
Kara nodded. “She is acting more Alexy.”  
“She’s extraordinary.”  
“Maybe you should tell her that.”  
“I have so much going on and ...”  
“Please don’t pretend you can’t multi-task!” Kara admonished.  
“Alex isn’t a task, Kara. She’s ...” Lena was lost.  
“I know. A lot. But that’s good right? A lot but not too much?”  
“That’s exactly it,” Lena sighed. “That’s just how it seems.”  
“You guys are good together,” Kara repeated, then smiled. “It’s science.”


	14. Whoa sister!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Season 4 Episode 14 Alex wonders if someone besides Lena might be into her

“Ugh!” Alex moaned, rubbing her stomach. “| always forget there is such a thing as too much Chinese food.”  
“Light weight,” Kara teased.  
“Hollow legs,” Alex shot back.  
“Maybe you’re just nauseous from hanging around the grand douche of the sons of supremacy.”  
“My stomach did turn when he touched me,” Alex admitted.  
“Yuck. I hope you showered.”  
“Didn’t help though,” Alex said. “Maybe I’ve got hetlag,” mused.  
“Hetlag?”  
“The feeling of exhaustion after you’ve spent too much time with only heterosexuals."  
“Look at you and your developing queer vocabulary."  
"I did have a kind of palate cleanser interaction though,” Alex added, smiling.  
"Ooh! Did you talk to Lena?”  
Alex shook her head, her cheeks pinking.  
“Wow!” Kara exclaimed. “Another one? You are popular. Wait. Not one of the douche’s people?”  
Alex slapped her thigh in protest. “Ow! OK. Ooh! Eve? It’s the quiet ones you have to watch,” Kara giggled and missed the next thing Alex said. “Sorry?” she asked, hand cupped at her ear.  
“Supergirl. I think I had a moment with Supergirl.”  
Kara stared at her sister then blinked a couple of times. “No,” she finally got out.  
“No? You weren’t there Kara. It was somethin’.”  
“Well not THAT,” Kara let out unable to stop herself.  
“I’m not her type?”  
“No. It’s ... I wouldn’t know. How would I know? I know she respects you.”  
“No. That wasn’t respect I saw.”  
“What then?”  
“It wasn’t ... I know what it looks like when women want me. There’s none of that heat.”  
“Well then...” Kara made a gesture to indicate the topic’s closure.  
“I guess you’re right. A part of me wants to get in there and find out what’s under that suit though. You’ve interviewed her a lot. Did you get pings on your hetdar?”  
“Now you’re just making words up.”  
“Uh-uh! What do you think? Supergirl – queer or nah?”  
Kara stood and moved away towards the kitchen. “I guess I never thought about it,” Kara shrugged. “Beer? Oh. Maybe tea?”  
“Tea please,” Alex said once more patting her stomach. “I guess I hadn’t thought about it until today either.” Alex frowned. “I guess she isn’t my type. Although she’s everyone’s type, right?”  
“You probably need to ask someone else that question,” Kara suggested.  
“There’s a very small subset of people I can ask that question of,” Alex said, thinking hard. After a moment she snapped her fingers. “Lena!”  
“Oh. No. She wouldn’t ...”  
“Of course she would. Lena!” Alex said loudly alerting Kara to the fact that her sister had already called their friend.  
“Alex,” Lena’s greeting was warm enough to make Kara blush a little. “What can I do for you?”  
Alex flinched as Kara banged a mug on the counter in the kitchen. “Kara and I were just talking about Supergirl,” Alex told Lena.  
“Oh?” Lena responded and Kara was pleased to detect more than a hint of caution in one small syllable.  
“Yeah,” Alex continued. “A couple things I wanted your opinion on. First, hot or not?”  
“Pardon me?”  
“Supergirl – hot or not?”  
“Hot, of course,” Lena supplied.  
“Ha! See Kara?”  
“Kara doesn’t think Supergirl’s hot?” Lena sounded genuinely curious.  
“To be fair she said she never thought about it,” Alex conceded.  
“Really? Huh,” the scientist sounded like that might be worth investigating. “What was the other question?”  
“Queer or nah?” Alex asked.  
“Oh. Well, you’ve both spent more time with her than I have.”  
“Yes, but you have very keen ‘dar.”  
“Do I?” Lena asked, that warm tone back.  
“You know you do,” Alex said.  
“OK, I’m not sure you two need me to be here,” Kara interrupted.  
“Sorry,” both women apologised.  
“Come on Luthor, back me up here. There’s a little bit of queero in our hero don’t you think?”  
“Alex. I’m not an expert on Kryptonian approaches to sexuality. I will say she doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would close herself off to experience.”  
Out of her sister’s line of sight Kara flinched.  
“Thank you, that’s all I’m saying,” Alex said triumphantly.  
“Happy to help. I need to go, so unless there’s some other woman you want me to objectify and pigeon hole I’ll be popping along.”  
“Oooh burn, Luthor. See you soon,” Alex added closing the call. She turned to her sister with a wordless “see?” in every fibre of her being.  
“Drink your tea,” her sister commanded. “Are you staying or ...?”  
“Yeah,” Alex said. “I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable. Why does it bother you?”  
“I’m not even sure really,” Kara admitted.  
“OK. Thanks for the tea.”  
“You bet. Night.”

Kara lay in bed unable to sleep, her eyes wide open.  
What the H E double hockey sticks was her brilliant mogul of a friend playing at?  
Her phone alerted her to an incoming message.

Lena: You’re lying there fretting aren’t you?  
Kara: Y wld u say that?  
Lena: You mean that Supergirl is hot?  
Kara: No. Other thing.  
Lena: All I said was Supergirl seems open minded.  
Kara: You can’t encourage Alex to see Supergirl sexually.  
Lena: You may not have noticed but Alex has an eye for the ladies. That’s not on me.  
Kara: She’s my sister.  
Lena: I’m aware.  
Kara: What am I going to do?  
Lena: Are you having a gay panic?  
Kara: No. I’m having a ‘my sister thinks my secret identity is hot’ panic.  
Lena: Have I said today how stupid this memory wipe plan is?  
Kara: Help me!  
Lena: How about I distract her with my wiles. Or science.  
Kara: I don’t care what you use.  
Lena: Wiles it is.


	15. Little Boxes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Season 4 Episode 15  
> Brainy finds Alex taking a breath.  
> Just a short one because Alex, Lena, and Kara are separated.

Brainy touched Lena briefly as she passed and said gently, and only for her: “Little boxes, comrade.”  
She was grateful for his support and understanding. Once more she was in a race to save the life of someone they loved.  
Nearby, Alex frowned. This exchange seemed to be another trigger that lowered the fog of her symptoms. She tried to remember when that relationship became so deep. 

Night fell with James in recovery and neither Kara nor Lena answering their phones.  
Alex sat on the parapet of the hospital roof, a cool breeze lifting her hair away from her face revealing the deep lines on her forehead.

“May I join you?” Brainy asked in his quiet way.  
Alex shook her head then relented. “Of course.”  
“Are you all right?” he asked, taking a seat.  
“No,” Alex replied. “I am not.”  
“I can listen. If you would like to speak.”  
“Where are they?”  
“I do not understand.”  
“Where are Kara and Lena? They’ve both dated James. Yet I’m the one here at the hospital.”  
“Perhaps that is why?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Perhaps it is too painful for them because their love for him is more complex.”  
“Right. But where are they?”  
“If I understand either of them correctly they are out there,” he said waving out over their city, “trying to help.”  
“But we have the serum. And what could Kara possibly be doing? Why is she the one running around the city with J’onn?”  
“You speak of her as though you have no faith in her. Yet I know that you do.”  
“I do. I do. But she’s not trained for any of this.”  
Brainy admitted to himself, not for the first time, that this situation with Alex’s wiped memories was problematic even for his vast capacities. He had no idea how Kara survived it day to day.  
“So, it is J’onn you do not trust?”  
“I’m not even sure J’onn trusts J’onn to be able to take care of anybody right now.”  
“Fair enough. Though Kara must trust him. Perhaps you should trust in that.”  
Alex let out a growl of frustration. “What is wrong with me Brainy?”  
“What do you mean?” he asked, already afraid where this was going.  
“There are so many things I can’t connect.”  
“Can you give me an example? I am a creature of data.”  
She smiled at her friend. “OK. Here’s one instance. Earlier as Lena was leaving you two had an exchange. It looked ... You looked close. Like close friends. What did you say to her? She looked so grateful. Uplifted.”  
“Oh. I reminded her of something we talked about when she and I worked together to clear the atmosphere.”  
“Right,” Alex nodded a little vaguely.  
“At that time we were also very concerned, of course, about Supergirl’s welfare. I was having difficulty separating myself so I could concentrate. She told me about boxes. I reminded her of that today.”  
“Boxes. Right. She and I watched over Supergirl,” Alex said, remembering. The frown lines returned.  
“I believe you were both concerned.” Brainy tilted his head, listening. “Supergirl is confronting Lex Luthor.”  
Alex grabbed his arm. “What?”  
Brainy repeated what he’d said.  
“Lena!” Alex cried standing immediately and running towards the stairs.


	16. Sibling Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After S4 Ep16 Alex finds Lena where Eve left her.  
> They talk.  
> Only just got this up before 17 aired - down to the wire!  
> WHAT'S IN THAT LETTER!!!!??????

“Lena?” Alex called pushing open Lena’s office door with her hip and flicking on the lights in one movement, gun raised.

In front of her Lena sat slumped in her desk chair, unmoving. Alex’s heart pounded. Was she too late? Carefully, not turning her back on the room, she moved to her immediately searching that familiar porcelain throat for a pulse.

She slumped a little with the relief of finding one. Not great but not gone either.

“I have Lena,” she communicated to Brainy. “She’s unconscious and tied to a chair. I need to get her back to the DEO. I’m not sure what’s been done to her.”

“Understood,” Brainy said. “I’m on my way.”

“I’ve got you,” Alex said, moving Lena’s head to make her more comfortable. She felt Lena’s warm breath on the palm of her hand and left it resting along Lena’s jawline.  Alex sighed. “My world is full of beautiful women. Beautiful, complicated women.” She moved to clear the desk so she could sit and saw a plain envelope with ‘Lena’ written on it. “Oh sweet,” she said bitterly. “He left a note.”

“Alex?”

Alex turned to see Lena trying valiantly to open her eyes. She slipped the envelope into her pocket and knelt down beside Lena’s chair. “I’m here. What happened?”

“Lex.”

“I know. Supergirl and J’onn are out looking.”

“I was stupid.” Lena finally got her eyes to stay open and she focussed them on Alex’s face.

“I find that impossible to believe.”

“He told me he was sick.”

“You gave him some serum?”

Lena nodded.

Alex gathered her into her arms as best she could. “It’s OK. Brainy’s on his way with a team of medics. We’ll get you to the DEO and take a look at you.”

“You just want to take my clothes off,” Lena murmured with an attempt at smiling.

“That’s exactly it,” Alex agreed. “You caught me.”

“Have I?” Lena asked dreamily, barely conscious.

“We can talk about that some other time,” Alex told her softly.

“Is Kara home?” the dreamy voice wanted to know.

“I don' know where she is.”

“She loves you.”

“I know.”

“It’s hard for her.”

“What is?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s hard for Kara?”

“She loves you.”

“Yes.”

“My brother doesn’t love me.”

“I don’t think that’s about you Lena. Lex is ...”

“It’s weird that you’re Alex and he’s Lex.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. So different. You’re like the opposite of Lex.”

“Maybe you should rest. Brainy’s in the building. We’ll get you back to the DEO. Here he is now.”

“What has he done to her?” Brainy asked tersely as he entered the room with three other black swathed DEO agents, two of them with a stretcher wheeled between them. He placed his hand gently on Lena’s head and bent down so she could see him. “I’m here, comrade. Do you know what was done to you?”

“I wish you were my brother,” Lena mumbled, flashing a blinding grin at her friend.

Brainy stood up very straight looking confused.

“I think she’s drugged,” Alex told him. “She’s pretty erratic.”

Brainy touched his chest with his fingertips. “I feel rage, Alex. I want to hurt this brother,” he said spitting out the last word.

“I hear you,” Alex said, helping get Lena onto the stretcher. “Supergirl and J’onn have gone looking for him.”

“I too have been searching.” He shook his head at Alex’s raised eyebrows.

 

Hours later in the dim light of the DEO clinic Lena struggled awake once more. She smiled to see Alex sitting near watching her.

“How long have you been watching me sleep?”

Alex smiled. “A while. I like it.”

“I remember.” Lena took stock of herself. “I feel OK. Am I OK?”

Alex nodded. “Yes. He drugged you. Pretty pedestrian stuff for him.”

“There’ll be more. He’ll punish me until one of us is dead.”

“Has he always been like this?”

“I used to say no. There were times he was kind to me. But I think that was all part of an experiment too. So that it hurt more when he turned on me next time.”

“Jesus. Lena.”

“Families, right?”

Alex gave her a crooked smile. “I guess. What do you think Kara was doing back here?”

Lena shrugged. “Didn’t you say she forgot something?”

“Yeah but I’m not sure I buy it.”

“She was kind of off.”

“That’s what I thought.” Alex frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Lena asked, hand outstretched.

Alex took it, moving a little closer so their hands could rest on the bed. “Nothing.”

“Alex.”

“I feel all over the place still. I feel really connected to you right now. But sometimes it’s like I can’t quite remember how it is that happened. Connections move in and out of focus. Even with Kara. I don’t understand what’s wrong. Nothing shows up on the scans.”

Lena moved over making room on the bed on Alex’s side. She tugged Alex’s hand. “Come to bed. You need to sleep. I’ll help you work it out once we’re both rested.”

Alex took off her jacket, stopping as she heard the crackle of paper. She reached inside the inner pocket.

“I forgot this. It was on your desk addressed to you.”

Lena didn’t reach for it. “You keep it. I don’t care what he has to say.”

“Would you like me to read it?” Alex offered, slipping the letter back into her jacket.

“Thank you. Maybe some time. Not now.”

“Whatever you want,” Alex nodded, slipping off her boots and into the bed.

“I like the sound of that,” Lena smiled, almost asleep again.

“Just say the word.”

Alex let Lena tuck her head on her shoulder.

“We’re getting good at this.”

“Sleeping together?”

“I meant managing on these clinic beds,” Lena said around a yawn.

“Right. When Supergirl was in the protective suit.” After a few moments she added “I remember being very worried.” Alex frowned. “Did I talk to you about why I was so concerned for her?”

Lena’s soft, even breaths were her only answer. Alex kissed her head and settled her more closely to her. “We’ll work it out,” she sighed. “You’ll probably save me. Again.”


	17. Squad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of S4 Ep17 Alex uses The Watch to call Supergirl and thus form The Awesome Women Squad.
> 
> In my story Alex isn’t in the room when Supergirl gets there.
> 
> Reminder: In this universe Lena does 1. know Kara is Supergirl (see chapter 1) and b. have an acknowledged sexual past with Alex.
> 
>  

“Did Alex call me here to arrest me?” Supergirl demanded, somehow managed to look pissed and graceful as she entered through the patio door.

“No. We want to help. She ... we know you’d never do this,” Lena said soothingly.

“Where is Alex?”

Lena waved her hand toward the other side of the massive penthouse. “She got a call just after she summoned you.”

“Oh, yeah. I hear her. Huh. Sara.” Supergirl, eavesdropping quickly, said quietly to herself.

“Uh, Alex said an old friend who was having romantic troubles ...? Sara? I think?” Lena continued.

“Oh ho! The Dashing Captain Lance looking for advice! Must be serious,” Supergirl laughed, momentarily forgetting her own dire circumstance.

“Captain? Is she in the military?”

“No. She’s ... oh, what the hell? She’s the captain of a time ship.” She noticed Lena was looking a little queasy. “What’s wrong?”

“You drop this stuff like it’s so every day. A _time_ ship?”

“Oh. Yeah. The Legends. They travel through time fixing it.”

“Fixing ...?” Lena sat down on the couch. “Why ... how is it broken?”

“Honestly? That’s sometimes the Legends too. I’m glad she remembers meeting Sara.”

This piqued Lena’s interest. “She told me she’s been having trouble remembering some people. But mostly women she’s ....” Lena stopped mid-sentence when her companion nodded.

“Mmm. They hooked up at Barry’s wedding,” the superhero confirmed, blushing.

Lena held up her hand, begging Supergirl to stop. “I think I’d rather speak to Kara about this.”

“Sure,” Kara said scooting onto the couch beside her friend. “Shoot. I’ll keep an ear on Alex’s whereabouts.”

“I hardly know where to start.”

“You’ve been through a lot. We all have,” Kara said taking her friend’s hand.

“I really don’t know how you do it. With Alex I mean. More and more I see her there in her eyes. The old Alex.”

“It’s hard. I miss her.”

“Me too. I love watching her think,” Lena almost whispered.

“I bet you do!” Kara said, lighting up her smile.

Lena blushed. “Stop it.”

“I know there’s a lot going on for you with your mother and your brother, but Lena, by now you must know they aren’t your only family.”

“Honestly, if you make me cry ...”

“Go ahead. You’ve earnt it,” Kara said gathering her friend into her arms. “Tell me what upsets you about Alex talking to Sara.”

“I’m jealous,” Lena sighed. “And I’m embarrassed about being jealous. I don’t have any claim to Alex’s affections. And I don’t even know this Sara.”

“She’s the one I compared to Kate Kane.”

“Oh god. Thanks for that completely horrifying information!”

“I’m sorry but she has serious swagger. She also, for some time now, has been in a relationship with a beautiful woman called Ava.”

”Oh.”

“Get Alex to show you some of their pictures.”

Lena sat up sharply. “Are you saying she has a phone that she can use across time?”

“No. What I’m saying is, judging by their selfies, Sara is definitely not single.”

“But what kind of technology ...?”

Kara expressively raises her hands. “I don’t know. You’d need to talk to someone from the Time Bureau.”

“The Time Bureau? Shut the front door!”

“No. It’s a thing. Or I guess technically it will be a thing.”

“I guess we can think about all that once we’ve dealt with my brother and whoever is making mayhem while looking like you.”

“Nah. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. Look Lena, with or without all of her memories of me Alex is the best. If you like her tell her. Go on a date. Resume your ... well you know. Be happy.”

“How can I with everything that’s going on? And even if I could, negotiating around the two yous with her would be a minefield.”

“I do it every day.”

“I think it’s pretty evident that you are much more emotionally advanced than I am.”

“I’d like to see what you’re calling evidence for that.”

“I have plenty. All products of your huge heart,” Lena said fondly.

“That doesn’t sound very scientific,” Kara teased.

“No. Well. I’m learning.”

“She’s coming,” Kara whispered.

“Thanks for listening,” Lena whispered back then moved away a little on the couch.

Kara stood, resuming her Supergirl ‘at ease’ pose.

That’s how they were situated when Alex entered the room.

“You guys aren’t fighting again already?” she asked looking from one to the other.

“No,” Supergirl said.

“Not at all,” Lena echoed.

“OK. Because I don’t have time to run interference.”

“How was Captain Lance?” Supergirl asked.

“She and Ava are fighting,” Alex said then waved it off. “It’s a story. And another woman I don't remember all the circumstances of hooking up with very clearly. So...”

“We should talk about what we’re going to do about Lex,” Lena said.

“Right,” Alex nodded. “And whoever this faux Supergirl is.”  
“It gets no less freaky running into copies of me no matter how often it happens,” Supergirl chipped in.

“I bet,” Alex sympathised. “I don’t suppose you made an antidote for your serum?” Alex asked, turning to Lena.

“No but we probably could.”

“Can we trace it?” Alex asked. “Track Lex using the serum’s signature somehow?”  
“Well half an hour ago I’d have just said no but you’ve just been talking across time to some sort of temporal pirate queen so I’m not ruling anything out,” Lena said, eyebrow raised.

Alex barked out a laugh. “Pirate queen. She’d love that!”

“She’s probably already been then, done that!” Supergirl quipped.

Alex smiled. “I’d pay to see that.” She cleared her throat. “Uh. OK. Supergirl can you start checking all of Lex’s lairs? Lena can give you a list to start, I’ll send you what the DEO had and maybe James can help. Lena you and I will work on an antidote or reversal for the serum and how Supergirl might use it to trace him.”

“Good,” Supergirl said. "Will you be at the DEO?”

“No,” Alex said shaking her head. “The DEO isn’t safe for you. We’ll have to use L-Corp Labs.”

“He’ll be running hot,” Lena said suddenly, turning to Supergirl and handing her a list of addresses. “Lex. When you scan buildings his heat signature should stand out.”

“That’s a great help, thank you,” Supergirl nodded. “You two be careful. Call me when you have something.”

Alex and Lena watched her shoot into the sky quickly becoming a tiny dot.

“Come on Director,” Lena said pulling Alex by her shirt sleeve. “Let’s see what that beautiful mind can do.”

“Lena,” Alex called softly. “Are you OK?”

Lena smiled and allowed herself the luxury of kissing Alex softly. “I’ll be fine. When he’s back in prison I’ll be fine.”

“OK,” Alex said taking her hand. “Let’s go Evil Genius.”


	18. Corks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Supergirl leaves Lena and Alex S4 Ep18

Alex watched as Supergirl quickly became a speck then disappeared completely into the city sky.

“I’ll never get used to that,” Lena said from right behind her.

“It’s very ... sudden,” Alex agreed, turning to meet Lena’s gaze. “Even when she’s not upset. And today she’s – well – pretty pissed.”

Lena looked at her strangely.

“What?” Alex asked.

“Why do you trust her?”

“Well it’s obvious she’s not doing these things!”

“I’d think the evidence is actually pointing pretty convincingly the other way.”

“No ... it’s ...” Alex frowned. “Wait, do you believe her or not?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“I asked first,” Lena said, a little teasingly.

“I just do,” Alex said, and it sounded petulant even to her own ears.

“That’s not very scientific.”

“Not everything is,” Alex shrugged. “I’m really not sure I can articulate it.”

“Try,” Lena urged. “Come to the kitchen. I’ll get us something to eat.”

Alex followed behind her thinking. She took a seat at the counter. “She’s just good, right?”

Lena, her back turned to Alex, smiled but said nothing.

“I’ve never felt so certain of anybody,” Alex continued.

“That’s a big call,” Lena opined.

“Yeah,” Alex sighed wistfully.

“You sound like maybe you’ve got a kind of a thing for her?” Lena knew she was pushing but she wanted Alex back so much. Her Alex.

“Oh, who doesn’t have kind of a thing for Supergirl?” Alex scoffed.

“Fair point,” Lena conceded. “Though she’s losing fans now.”

“Idiots,” Alex snorted.

“Indeed. So, you trust her because she’s good?” Lena put air quotes around ‘good’.

“Yes. Why the air quotes?”

“It’s a slippery concept.”

“Goodness is?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Everyone thinks what they are doing is good.”

“Even your brother?”

“Of course. He thinks he knows what’s best. For everyone.”

“Jesus.”

“Well,” Lena said, disappearing into a huge pantry, “he apparently turned water into wine, so he was definitely good.” She returned with a bottle of wine and placed it next to Alex with a cork screw. “Sort that out, will you?”

Alex began to oblige. “Real cork,” she remarked.

“What on earth do you mean?” Lena asked.

“Well, you know. Screw tops.”

Lena looked appalled. “On wine?!”

“Yes,” Alex said, laughing. “You are such a snob.”

“I am not! I’m a traditionalist.”

“Sure you are,” Alex said, yanking out the cork with a satisfying ‘pop’.

“You don’t get that sound with a screw top I bet!” Lena challenged.

“Studies show that’s about all you lose though. And it’s cheaper.”

“Studies schmuddies!” Lena responded.

“Oh ho! So now science is garbage!” Alex teased.

“I didn’t say that. I’d like to see these studies,” Lena said heatedly banging a pot onto the stove.

“You’re going to find a way to make corks cheaper aren’t you?”

“In my spare time I might,” Lena conceded placing two glasses on the counter beside the breathing bottle. She picked up the cork and sniffed it. “Can’t do that with plastic.”

Alex held out her hands protectively. “OK. OK. I’m on the cork train.” Lena gave her a blinding smile with enough wattage to make Alex flinch. “Jees Luthor turn down the adorable a notch would you?”

Lena’s grin took on some heat. “You think I’m adorable.”

“I’m going to start worrying about _your_ memory if you’re surprised about that.”

“I don’t think you can blame me for wondering. You’ve been distant lately.”

“You know us Danvers – busy saving the world.”

Lena turned in alarm. “You and Kara are?” she asked.

Alex laughed. “Carol. Captain Marvel?” Lena looked perplexed. “It’s a movie. Google it Evil Genius.”

“You and your movies,” Lena teased fondly.

“What do you do to relax?”

Lena shot her a look hot enough to make Alex blush. “Also,” Lena said, enjoying the reaction, “I invent shit.”

“Crazy science,” Alex murmured.

“What’s that?” Lena asked.

“I said ‘crazy science’,” Alex repeated.

“Mmm. Orphan Black.”

“ _That_ you know?”

“Sure. Kara told me about it. It has women in lab coats. She thought I’d like it.”

“And did you?”

“I don’t mean to sound shallow but, that hair!” She made a swooning gesture.

Alex laughed. “You’re a puzzle.”

“Not really,” Lena said softly. “I’m pretty simple.”

“How so?” Alex asked, suddenly serious.

“I’m stuck with a name that displeases me greatly. But the things that come with it allow me to indulge in many pleasures – work that’s rewarding, clothes that fit, lipstick that can make people weak at the knees, beautiful, crazy-brave women.” She shrugged. “I try to keep living in the life that pleases me.”

“It isn’t the lipstick,” Alex said.

“What?”

“It isn’t the lipstick that makes knees weak.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Do you think you’re safe on the other side of this counter?” Lena asked, leaning heavily on her side of it.

“Not for a second,” Alex responded, her voice a little rough.

Lena threw back her head and laughed, exposing her throat. Alex swallowed hard. Man, she thought, I have zero control around women these days.

“Pour that wine,” Lena ordered, “while I get this food plated up. We can drive each other crazy while we eat.”

Alex could feel herself surrendering to the gravitational pull of Lena’s charms. “You don’t think we should be more worried about Supergirl?”

“To what end?”

“Well, she’s alone.”

“You can’t know that.”

Alex frowned and unconsciously rubbed at her chest over her heart. “No, I think I do.”

Lena rounded the counter and placed her hand over Alex’s. “Just let it come. Don’t worry.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve got a lot of things bottled up in there. Just let it go. You are safe here.”

Alex looked into Lena's eyes for a moment and then said “I know”.


	19. Don't Let Fear Define You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Season 4 episode 19 Brainy challenges Lena's plan and Alex changes it.

Brainy was worried about his friend.

“You know how it pains me to say these things to you, comrade,” he said to Lena, “but this plan seems ill-conceived. Perhaps you should ....” he thought for a moment before landing on the right phrase, then concluded with great gusto “.. sleep on it.”

“What are your objections?” Lena demanded.

“One: This plan is based on clues your brother left and may I remind you that these are 99.9% likely to be traps? Two: You have clearly neither put your emotions in boxes nor pushed them down. Three: How are you and Kara going to explain this trip to Alex?”

“If you know they’re traps they aren’t traps. I am not being emotional. Alex can come too.”

“Firstly, that isn’t all together true and you know it. Secondly, of course there are emotions. He’s your brother. Thirdly, you can’t be serious?!”

“Obviously I’m very aware of Lex’s capacity for duplicity. What’s wrong with Alex coming along?”

“I’m really getting concerned for your welfare. Have you hit your head on something today?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Who are you travelling with, Kara or Supergirl?” Brainy asked.

“Obviously both,” Lena clipped back quickly.

“Obviously a problem if Alex accompanies you,” he retorted.

“Oh,” Lena said quietly as the light dawned.

“Quite. ‘Oh’,” He thought for a moment. “You may be fortunate in that she may not want to go.”

“Why wouldn’t she?”

“I believe she and James’ sister may be feeling an attraction.”

“Oh?”

“I sense that this ‘oh’ is very different in texture from your last. Are you _jealous_?” he asked, horrified.

Lena made a scoffing, snorting sort of noise and her eyebrows moved with threatening speed towards her hairline.

“Is that to serve as your answer?” Brainy asked archly.

“She is very attractive,” Lena conceded.

Brainy nodded. “She has that wholesome Olsen-ness also.”

“That’s not Alex’s thing,” Lena said, less confidently than she would have liked.

“No?” Brainy asked. “Perhaps not,” he added thoughtfully.

Lena sighed. “Everything is such a mess.”

“I’d have thought you’d be ecstatic!” Alex said from the doorway.

Lena turned to her, a cacophony of feelings manifesting as confusion on her face.

“About James’ recovery?” Alex added a little caustically.

“Of course I’m thrilled about James!” Lena responded defensively.

“Then what’s the problem?” Alex asked.

“Another issue has arisen. Or rather one of the outstanding issues has, once again, become more prominent,” Brainy supplied.

“In English?” Alex begged.

“Your sister and Lena have some idea that Lex may be in Kaznia. Or some more evidence of his intention may be – I’m not clear on that. At any rate, they plan to go there to investigate.”

Lena looked daggers at Brainy. He ignored her.

“What?” Alex bit out.

“I said,” Brainy supplied helpfully, “Lena and Kara are planning to go to Kaznia in pursuit of ...”

“I got it,” Alex barked, making a chopping motion with her hand that did indeed effectively cut off his response. “What the hell did you hope to achieve with _Kara_?” Alex demanded of Lena. “In another country. By yourselves.”

“Well, I was all in favour of asking you but Brainy here said that you’d be too busy with Ms Olsen,” Lena replied skilfully burning them both in one sentence.

“I...” Brainy started to object, then realised she was telling the truth. “I did say that,” he acknowledged.

“What does Kelly have to do with this?” Alex demanded. “Where the hell _is_ Kara? What we need to do is update Supergirl. That’s who needs to go to Kaznia.”

“You shouldn’t belittle your sister so much. Take it from me, it has an impact,” Lena said.

“Did you just seriously compare my capacity as a sibling to Lex Luthor’s? Jesus, Lena! What is going on with you?”

“I’m sure that’s not what Lena meant,” Brainy offered bravely. Both women turned on him. He started towards the door. “I’m going to ... do something somewhere else.”

They both watched him leave then turned to each other, both with hands on hips.

Alex felt a small smile start. “I missed you downstairs.”

“Did you?” Lena asked, sounding like she really wanted to hear the answer.

“Yes.”

“And Kelly?”

“I am not impervious to beautiful women. But you know that,” Alex said suggestively.

“Do I?” Lena asked more seriously than Alex expected.

Alex was suddenly uncertain. “Because you're one of them? One of the beautiful women?”

“Yes. I took your meaning, Alex,” Lena laughed.

Alex relaxed. She reached out and ran a finger along Lena’s jaw. “What’s a mess?”

“Hmmm?” Lena asked, leaning into the touch.

“When I came in. You were saying everything is a mess.”

“Oh. Well. I’ve made a mess haven’t I with my rogue behaviour? Helping my brother even though I know ...,” she stopped and turned away afraid she’d start crying again as she had with Kara earlier. “I fought with Kara today and she’s been working so hard to help. And then there’s you.”

“Me?” Alex asked from close behind her.

“Did you hear about the interview Kara did with Dreamer?”

“I’ve seen the part that’s going viral. The DEO flagged it and I got a message. Why?”

“I was ... affected by it.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t with you.”

“Brainy gave me the statistics on the correlation between shutting people out and sorrow.”

“You guys really get each other huh?”

“Yes. We do. He’s a good man.”

Alex nodded. “So what’re you thinkin’?”

“I’m thinking I think too much. I feel like I want to see more of you. I need to help you stop Lex. Then I’d like it if you and I tried making a real go of it. If I survive all this.”

“Wow.”

“Or not. If you aren’t interested I underst...”

“No. I’m interested. In you. I’m interested.”

“Good. That’s good.”

“Now. About Kaznia. Whatever you think is there shouldn’t we have Supergirl with us? Kara can hold the fort here and call in the cavalry if we need it.”

“Huh. I see what he did there,” Lena murmured.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just realised another thing I need to thank Brainy for.”

“Should I be jealous?”

Lena laughed. “There’s no need. But it’s nice that you could be.”

“I’m going to call Kara and Supergirl in and you two can explain what you’ve found.”

“How about you go explain to your sister why she can’t come to Kaznia with us and I’ll brief Supergirl.”

“I’m not entirely sold on you going to Kaznia either, just for the record,” Alex said.

“I have to go,” Lena said firmly.

“I know,” Alex replied. “But I don’t have to like it.”

“I promise I’ll be careful.”

Alex snorted. “This is not our first rodeo together Luthor. I know you. Careful you are not.”

“Go talk to your sister.”

“Should I call Supergirl for you?” Alex asked.

“Sure,” Lena agreed.

 

It wasn’t long after Alex had left that Supergirl arrived.

“You have to go. Alex is on her way to your place to tell you that you can’t come to Kaznia,” Lena told her.

“What?”

“You Kara. You Supergirl is coming instead.”

“This shit is starting to really get on my nerves,” Supergirl grouched.

“I bet. You’d better go. I’ll see you in the Balkans.”

“OK. Hey, you look kind of ... happier?”

“I told Alex how I feel about her.”

Supergirl squealed and hugged Lena.

“It’s all your fault. That damn interview with Dreamer.”

“You’re welcome,” Supergirl grinned. “Better go get back into my Kara costume.” She waved and shot off the balcony.

“Don’t wait for the new day,” Lena said, picking up her bag.

“We are the new day,” Brainy said from the doorway and received a blinding smile in return.


	20. Alex: AWOL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After S4 Ep20 Kara and Lena discuss the Alex situation.
> 
> This is totally set in the world of this fic except Alex did wipe her memory. Lena knows. Lena and Alex are a sometime thing. 
> 
> For those of you following along thanks and sorry this one's a bit late. The next one will be up shortly.

Kara came and sat back down in the cosy chair across from Lena. She looked out at the clouds below them.  
“Thanks for flying my way,” Lena smiled. “I appreciate the company.”  
“Sure,” Kara replied.  
“Everything OK? Did you get hold of Alex?”  
“Mmm.”  
“What does that mean?”  
“Hold on to your hat.”  
“Is Alex OK?” Lena asked, beginning to get worried.  
“I’m not sure.”  
“Kara!” Lena chastised.  
“She’s fine. I mean. She got a call about an adoption. A baby.”  
“I thought that was on hold,” Lena said a little sharply.  
“Mmm,” Kara said again.  
“Just spit it out.”  
“Kelly went with her.”  
“Oh.”  
“I thought you guys were kind of ...”  
“Me too,” Lena said ruefully.  
“That doesn’t seem like Alex.”  
“No. She’s been ... off. Since the memory thing.”  
“I know. Why didn’t she tell us? I thought she didn’t come with us because something came up at work,” Kara said sadly.  
“I get why she didn’t tell me. But I thought you two would have been in this together.”  
“Me too,” Kara nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek.  
“Don’t cry,” Lena begged. “You’ll set me off.”  
“I don’t understand why she didn’t get Eliza to go with her.”  
“They do seem very close these days.”  
“We have to get Alex’s memory back. I miss her.”  
Lena nodded. “Me too.”  
“James didn’t ever mention Kelly was gay to me.”  
“Me either.”  
“Huh. I wonder what that means?”  
“Probably just thought it was her story to tell.”  
Kara nodded. “She’s nice.”  
“They’re a nice, relatively normal family.”  
“Weird, huh?”  
“Very weird.”  
Kara chuckled. “Are you jealous?”  
“Of people with solid families?”  
“No, genius. Of Kelly.”  
“Of course!”  
“I wasn’t expecting that!”  
“Honesty, you mean?”  
“No. Just ... You’re pretty private about your romantic feelings.”  
“Pot. Kettle.”  
“Fair enough,” Kara acknowledged.  
“We have something, I think,” Lena said wistfully after a moment.  
“Are you kidding? You guys are great together!”  
“I’m so glad you think so. It’d be impossible if you didn’t.”  
“I love you guys.”  
Lena stood so she could lean over and kiss Kara’s cheek. “Thank you. So the baby?”  
“Oh yes. Alex is very sad. The grandparents stepped in.”  
“Oh! I’m so glad she wasn’t alone.”  
“You’re great. My sister’s an idiot.”  
“She really isn’t herself right now,” Lena reminded her. One of Kara’s blinding smiles struck Lena so hard she blinked. “Wow! What did I do to earn that?!” she asked gesturing towards Kara’s face.  
Adorably, Kara felt her face for a moment, not sure what her friend meant. “Oh. I was just thinking if this was a movie that you and I would make a pact to marry each other if we’re still single in ten years.”  
Lena leaned forward and stuck out her hand. Kara upped the wattage on her smile and shook on it.  
“Wait,” Lena said, her tone deadly serious. “Can we have a dog? That’s a deal-breaker.”  
Kara laughed and after a moment Lena joined in.   
Just for a moment it felt like everything was going to be fine.


	21. Alex: Returned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After season 4 episode 21.  
> Alex remembers. I've borrowed the beginning scene from the episode but once Brainy exits it's all my world except for the looming threat of whatever the hell Lex is going to do.  
> You know the drill: Lena knows about Kara/Supergirl. Alex and Lena have been a developing on again/off again thing.

“... and I will tell Dreamer that I am in love with her,” Brainy concluded firmly.

“Great!” Lena said after a momentary pause at this segue. “Good luck!”

“Yeah!” Alex added, slower to recover.

They watched their friend leave then turned to each other, both sets of eyebrows creeping towards their hairline.

For a moment Lena was sure she saw _her_ Alex behind those beautiful eyes, and tried not to respond viscerally when Alex offered her anything she needed.

 

Later that night, at Eliza's ....

 “Never, ever let me talk you into an idea as stupid as that again,” Alex pleaded with her family. She sat holding on to Kara’s hand so tightly Elisa was relieved that Kara wasn’t human and could take that sort of pressure.

“Honey,” Elisa said to her eldest with some humour, “you can be very ... insistent when you’re being ... selfless.”

Kara couldn’t quite bite back a laugh. Alex shoved at her sister’s shoulder to absolutely zero effect.

“I can’t believe I could have forgotten how annoying you can be!” Alex huffed.

“You’ve been totally annoyed by me this whole time!” Kara protested.

“Well, that was because I didn’t know where the hell you were half the time!” Alex shot back.

“Language,” Eliza chastised softly.

“Sorry Mom,” Alex said, reluctantly letting go of Kara to sit at her mother’s knee. “Are you sure she didn’t hurt you?”

“No, Honey. Kara got here in time.”

Alex smiled tightly.

“And so did you,” Kara told to her sister. “Get here in time for me. Thank you. Again.”

“Always,” Alex said then sat back on her heels at the weight of memories flooding in.

Kara was instantly at her side. “Are  _you_ all right?”

Alex nodded. “It’s just ... they’re still coming back. Sometimes it’s a lot.” She frowned. “I can’t believe I could forget you.”

“You didn’t. There were just ... things missing.” Kara quickly blinked back tears.

“I should have realised how hard this would be on you all,” Alex said balling her hand into a fist.

“Don’t,” Kara begged her. “It’s over now. Hey, where’s Lena?” she asked both to change the subject and because she was worried about her friend’s sibling problem.

“She’s going after Lex,” Alex said.

“What!?” Kara yelled, leaping to her feet.

Alex grabbed her wrist. “Sit. Trust her. She’ll call when she needs us.”

“Right,” Kara nodded with her trademark frown. “We wait.”

Eliza laughed. “Neither of you are very good at that! Come. Help me make something to eat,” she said shooing her girls into the kitchen.

 

Just as they were getting the food on the table there was a knock at the front door. Kara stared in that direction and smiled. “Lena,” she informed them, turning to go get the door.

Alex stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll go. You get her a plate.”

Kara grinned. “Is that how it is?”

“I hope so!” Alex said, and blushed.

“I thought maybe Kelly ...?”

“A friend,” Alex said. “A good friend. Luthor though. She’s ...”

“Waiting at the door?” her mother interceded.

“Right,” Alex woke from her daydream and headed down the hallway.

 

Alex could smell Lena’s perfume in the hall and suddenly became very conscious that she was wearing the old, comfy clothes always left at her mother’s. She opened the door and, for the first time since they’d met, her first thought wasn’t ‘beautiful’.

“You look tired,” she greeted, pulling Lena into a soft embrace.

Lena sighed and melted against Alex’s body. “I’ve missed you,” she said into Alex’s ear.

“There’s a lot of that going around,” Alex replied, pulling back so she could search Lena’s face. “Are you OK?” Lena nodded.

Alex kissed her. They kept going until someone very nearby cleared their throat.

“Mom says come in and eat before it gets cold. Also? I think she’s about to ground one of you,” she warned.

Slowly the kiss stopped and they turned unfocussed eyes to her.

“Hoo boy!” Kara said to herself, gathering them both before her and herding them down the hall.

Once everyone was seated and eating, Eliza laid her hand on Lena’s.

“How was your day?” she asked, as though this were a normal family dinner.

A short laugh escaped Lena. “Well, my mother told me she loved me. And she was not lying.”

Eliza squeezed the hand in hers. “You always have a place here.”

Lena wiped away grateful tears.

“Mom,” Alex said lovingly.

“Uh,” Lena continued after a moment, “I got her to cure James and I’ve found Lex. And yes, Alex, I know I should have led with that.”

“Well that seems like quite a day,” Eliza said, quelling the questions bursting out of her daughters with a look. “Alex, show Lena to the guest room and make sure she has everything she needs. Kara, you can help me clean up the kitchen.”

“But, Mom!” both girls whined.

Lena smiled. “I’m afraid there’s no time for that, Eliza. My brother is planning an invasion.”

“Then I suspect Alex needs to make a phone call. You all need some sleep. Don’t even start with me, Kara," she warned. "You almost died today.”

“Yes ma’am,” Kara replied meekly.

“Go,” Eliza said to Alex.

Alex kissed her mother. “Love you.”

“I know Honey,” Eliza said. “Oh!” she exclaimed in surprise as Lena embraced her.

“Thank you!” Lena whispered into her shoulder.

“You’re welcome dear. Now go to bed,” she added sternly, pointing towards the stairs.

“Yes ma’am,” Lena echoed Kara, then took Alex’s offered hand.

 

“It seems strange to say but I like those two together,” Eliza said, watching Kara speed clean.

Kara stopped. “I’m glad you do.”

“I wish you could all have a moment to live without world-ending chaos.”

“There has been a lot of that.”

“Are they asleep?” Eliza asked pointing toward the ceiling. “They were both dead on their feet.”

“Are you asking me to eaves-drop?”

“Just this once.”

“I heard Alex speaking with Haley earlier,” Kara confessed. She tilted her head slightly. “Alex is telling Lena about getting her memories back. Their heartbeats are pretty slow. They'll be asleep in a few minutes.”

Eliza kissed her on the forehead. She held Kara’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I know.”

“Well. I’m going to bed. Try to sleep.”

Kara nodded but, once Eliza was out of sight, walked out to the deck and shot up into the sky, watching all approaches to the house.

 

“So, you remember everything?” Lena slurred sleepily, her head on Alex’s shoulder.

“I think so, yes. Or I’m probably still in the process of it all coming back, more accurately.”

“Good. Kara missed you.”

“I know. We don’t function well without the other close at hand.”

“You were off-kilter without having all of her with you. Even though you didn’t know.”

“I could feel something was missing,” Alex said, rubbing her chest over her heart.

“Do you think that’s why you responded to the call from the adoption agency? Because you seemed to be on a pause with that.”

Alex thought for a moment. “Yeah. I think so. That’s not right, is it, to expect a child to fill a hole in yourself?”

“No.”

“If we don’t die tomorrow can we talk some more about parenting? I’d like to know how you feel about it.”

Lena managed an exhausted laugh. “You’re a good scientist Danvers. Learning from trial and error.”

“What does that mean?”

“Yes. We can discuss parenting. But you need to stop running off to view babies with other women.”

“No more other women. No babies without talking with you,” Alex pledged, raising her hand.

“If we don’t die trying to save the world from my brother tomorrow.”

Alex held her tight. “Kara and the gang won’t let us die. They ship it.”


	22. Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end.  
> After S4 Ep22  
> In my world Lena already knows Kara is Supergirl so that whole mind f from Lex didn't work. I jettisoned Kelly in a previous chapter so she isn’t part of this story.
> 
> Thanks for reading.  
> See you next time.

Alex settled Lena onto her lap and kissed her temple. “You shot Lex?”  
“Yes. He was surprised.”  
“I bet,” Kara chimed in from the other end of the couch.  
“He also ... you guys will love this. He’s lying there bleeding and he decides to do one last shitty thing before he goes. He shows me footage of you being Supergirl, Kara, and then he says I have no real friends.”  
“What an A-Hole!” Alex grumbles.  
“Oh my god!” Kara says. “He just couldn’t quit!”  
“That’s why I won’t ever believe he’s gone,” Lena says quietly.  
“Lena ...” Alex begins.  
“No,” Lena cuts her off but not aggressively. “It’s OK Alex. I’ll be in therapy the rest of my life. But. I don’t even want to think about what it would have done to me if I hadn’t known about Kara. I mean, I’m fucked up now but if I thought I didn’t have you guys I don’t know what I would have done.”  
“You would have been pretty pissed,” Alex surmised.  
“I was pretty pissed that you hadn’t told me.”  
“Sorry,” Kara said again.  
“No need to apologise. I get it.”  
“How could he possibly think you didn’t know?” Alex shook her head.  
“He underestimated everybody,” Kara said.  
“He had some real blind spots,” Lena agreed. “But also some pretty surprising clarity.”  
“Like what?” Alex wanted to know.  
“He knew how I feel about you two. Well, I’m not sure he had you figured out entirely, Alex. He knew I love you guys though. He knew how much hitting me there could hurt.”  
“People who think love is weakness are just sad,” Kara said. “Anybody else need hot chocolate?”  
“Can I have whiskey in it?” Lena asked. Alex held up two fingers.  
“Three Very Bad Day Hot Chocolates coming up,” Kara confirmed, heading for the kitchen.  
“How are you really?” Alex asked Lena quietly under the sounds of Kara working in the kitchen.  
“I shot my brother today, so I’m pretty fucked up,” Lena responded, burrowing further into Alex’s embrace.  
“Yeah,” Alex said, holding tight. She looked up to see Kara watching them fondly from the kitchen. “I think we should go back to Mom’s for a couple of days.”  
Kara smiled. “Good idea.”  
“She wouldn’t mind?” Lena asked.  
“She loves it when we’re home,” Kara assured her.  
“No, I mean me,” Lena clarified.  
“You were just there. Did she make you feel unwelcome?” Alex asked, concerned.  
“No. She was lovely.”  
“It’s settled then,” Kara smiled.  
“Midvale here we come,” Alex said cheerily.  
“I’ll need to go home and pack,” Lena realised regretfully.  
“No need,” Kara corrected her. “We both have stuff there you can use. If we go now, we can fly.”

The next morning Lena sat on the deck nursing a cup of coffee. Inside she could hear Kara and Eliza making pancakes in the kitchen. The soft snick of the door opening attracted her attention and she smiled to see a sleepy Alex pad over to sit beside her.  
“It’s beautiful here,” Lena said.  
“Yes,” Alex agreed. “I can see it now. I couldn’t wait to escape when I was a kid. Now I fight to carve out time to be here.”  
“Thanks for thinking of this.”  
“Of course.”  
“What do you think will happen now?” Lena asked.  
“Pancakes, I think,” Alex answered.  
Lena surprised herself by laughing. “No, darling. I mean in the world.”  
“Oh,” Alex grinned. “Well, we need a new President for one thing.”  
“Politics,” Lena said disgustedly, rolling her eyes.  
“You never think about giving it a shot?”  
“What?”  
“Politics. You’d be good at it.”  
“I think there have been too many Luthors in the Oval Office lately.”  
“Maybe. But people forget things pretty quickly.”  
“You’re crazy.”  
“Maybe,” Alex conceded. After a moment she said, “You called me darling.”  
“When?” Lena wanted to know.  
“Just now.”  
“Do you mind?”  
“No.”  
“Good.”  
“Pancakes!” Kara yelled from the kitchen.

THE END

 

**Author's Note:**

> 14 Nov 2018: 1000 hits. Seems like something to be grateful for.  
> 28 Jan 2019: 2000 hits. Thanks for your company.  
> 20 March 2019: 3000 hits. Thanks for staying with me guys.  
> 30 May 2019: 4000 hits. Thanks for those who did this live with me and hello to those who come after.


End file.
